Jealousy
by xxcrowysnextmatexx
Summary: A beautiful story of the love between Leafpool and Crowfeather, with tons of twists and suspense. Starting from after the sight- further books do not apply. rated T for chapter 21.
1. Misleading Dream

**_This is my first fanfic, and I though I should make it about my fav forbidden love, Crowfeather and Leafpool! I guarantee this wont be super sappy like the other CrowxLeaf fics I've read. Most of them started with Crowfeather confessing his undying love for Leafpool, and that just seemed really fake to me so mine's really different. Hope you enjoy! Please review, and point out mistakes if you see them!_**

The WindClan tom padded toward her across the windy moor. He was so close now, so close that Leafpool could count the gray-black hairs on his pelt, search the depths of those usually guarded sky blue eyes. He finally stopped a tail-length away from her, and she yearned for closeness.

His ear flicked as she stepped a mouse-length closer. Her paws itched to touch her nose to his, to wrap her body around him.

"What are you doing so far from camp?" he meowed.

"Crowfeather," she purred softly. "I had to see you." His eyes showed no pain or regret, only deep, unquenchable love. That was how Leafpool liked them best.

He purred and padded forward, finally providing that tingle that came from her nose as it made contact with his. "But why'd you have to come all the way to the ThunderClan border to see me, Nightcloud?"

She leaped back as if he had clawed her. "I-Crowfeather, it's me, Leafpool!"

Crowfeather's eyes looked hurt. "Nightcloud, you're the mother of my kits. Don't you think I recognize you when I see you?"

Leafpool could only stand, mystified, and stare into his deep blue eyes. Finally, she mewed, "I wish I was, Crowfeather. I want more then anything to be the mother of your kits. But I'm not Nightcloud. I'm Leafpool."

He looked angry now, and it scared her. "Nightcloud, I would have thought you, of all cats, wouldn't taunt me about Leafpool. You know how much I try to forget her."

She backed away from him, trying hard not to moan with pain. He turned away from her and traveled back across the WindClan moor. She tried to get a last glimpse of his black pelt as he padded away, but the mist of the moor swallowed him up.

She ran the other way, lost and frightened in the unfamiliar territory. Finally, she came to the edge of the lake and looked down into it. With a gasp, she turned suddenly and stumbled. She dropped like a stone into the smooth glass-like water. It swallowed her up and she thrashed wildly in the murky depths, fighting for air.

"Leafpool? Leafpool! Wake up!"

She opened her eyes a sliver and saw that she was thrashing in her nest, not the deep lake water. Bits of moss were clinging to her pelt. The thing prodding her and meowing was Jaypaw.

"Leafpool? Are you okay? You were making an awful racket."

Leafpool was surprised that Jaypaw didn't say this with his usual annoyed, haughty manner, but with real worry behind his words. "I-sorry, Jaypaw. I had a bad dream."

He stared at her with penetrating blue eyes and Leafpool shivered, thinking of how much he looked like he could really see her.

He looked torn, as if wondering if he should say something. "Leafpool," he murmured, "Did it have something to do with Crowfeather? You said his name."

She sat up quickly, scattering moss, and gave her chest fur a few quick licks. "If it did, it's none of your business."

He looked at her earnestly. "Leafpool, I don't trust him, I think he's up to something. Why did he follow me all the way here the day I fell in the stream? What if he was trying to get a look at the camp! What if he's plotting with Onestar to-"

"Enough!" Leafpool hissed. "I happen to know that Crowfeather is not plotting anything against ThunderClan. Now, it's none of your business what dreams I share with StarClan. Just forget it.

Jaypaw's pelt bristled, but he stalked out of the medicine cat den without another word.

Leafpool sighed. The dream tumbled in her head, making her dizzy and frightened. She couldn't forget what she had seen in the lake as she looked down at her reflection; cold amber eyes and haughty features on a black-furred face. The face of that wretched WindClan she-cat, _Nightcloud_.


	2. Amber Warning

A warm scent flooded Leafpool's senses and she looked up from the bush where she was carefully collecting yew berries. Her best friend, Sorreltail, came padding up to her through the trees.

"Hey Leafpool. Ferncloud said she would watch my kits for a bit, and I wondered if you would like to come hunt with me," she mewed.

Leafpool meowed happily, "Sure, Sorreltail! Just let me burry these berries. I wouldn't want any cat to eat them by mistake!" She hurriedly scraped up some dirt and dropped the deathberries into it. As she finished, she followed Sorreltail through the trees.

"So, Sorreltail…how _are_ the kits?" Leafpool purred. Sorreltail had just had her second litter of kits a moon ago, two small ginger and white toms.

"Great, thanks to you!" she beamed. "Dapplekit got over his cough quickly, and now he only sniffles once in a while."

From there, the two she-cats stayed silent and caught a couple pieces of prey. Coming to the stream bordering WindClan, they stretched out in the sun and serenely dipped their paws in the water. With full bellies and the bright new-leaf sun warming her pelt, Leafpool felt better then she had in days. Moons, maybe.

Suddenly, Sorreltail pricked her ears and her head swiveled in the direction of the WindClan border. "WindClan patrol!" she hissed through gritted teeth. Both she-cats jumped to their paws and stood stock still, facing the border, as the sounds of meowing grew louder.

Three cats burst through the undergrowth and became visible to Leafpool and Sorreltail. Leafpool's belly clenched as she recognized one in particular…

The cold amber eyes of that particular WindClan cat saw her too, apparently. Nightcloud stopped mid paw-step, shocked. She soon recovered, however and glared at the ThunderClanners.

"What are you doing so close t WindClan territory?" Nightcloud hissed, burning two angry holes in Leafpool with her eyes.

"This is on ThunderClan's side of the border," Sorreltail answered smoothly. "We've done nothing wrong."

Whitetail, a pretty white WindClan she-cat, began to nod but Nightcloud hissed on, still glaring angrily. "_You _might not of, but _that_ cat," she flicked her tail towards Leafpool, "has a reputation for straying into WindClan territory."

Leafpool could feel her anger bubbling inside her, and was barely aware of Breezepaw, Whitetail's apprentice, watching the whole ordeal with great interest.

"How dare you!" she hissed shocked. "I only cross the WindClan border to travel to gatherings and the Moonpool! Or do you still call that trespassing?"

Nightcloud's eyes glinted with malice. "Really? Is that the _only _time you've crossed our borders? Or have you forgotten about a certain WindClan tom?"

"What certain WindClan t-" Breezepaw began, but whitetail flicked her tail over his muzzle.

"Nightcloud," she mewed, "that's in the past. Leafpool wouldn't cross our boundaries.

Sorreltail nodded, her eyes narrowed. "I don't think Firestar would like that you're so quick to accuse our medicine cat."

Nightcloud only snorted with laughter. 'Well of course! She's Firestar's daughter? And I bet that makes you feel special, doesn't it?" she hissed this last part to Leafpool, who's pelt bristled.

Whitetail sighed and padded on, tugging the curious Breezepaw along behind her. Nightcloud didn't move, just stared straight into Leafpool's eyes. "I'll catch up, Whitetail."

Leafpool quietly told Sorreltail to head back to camp; she could handle this herself.

When the two she-cats were alone, Nightcloud crouched low to the ground on WindClan's side of the stream and hissed, "Don't come near WindClan again. I can see how distracted Crowfeather is; if you've been seeing each other again -"

"I haven't seen Crowfeather since the last gathering, and that was almost a moon ago." No need to tell Nightcloud about her dreams, in which Crowfeather walked every night. "I'm a medicine cat, and I don't have feelings for any tomcat. So you can stop being so prickly, and perhaps be a bit more grateful? After all, I _did_ save your son's life."

Nightcloud hissed again and spun around, flicking her tail high in the air. "I owe you _nothing_."

Leafpool watched her go, her temper rising again. _What did Crowfeather see in that piece of fox-dung?_


	3. Nightcloud's suspicion

Chapter 3

Leafpool's eyes widened in fear as the small kit trembled violently, his small pink mouth open in small coughs. It was clear that if she didn't do something soon, the kit would join StarClan.

"Jaypaw?" she called desperately. "Jaypaw, bring me more feverfew!"

The small gray apprentice came skidding to a halt beside her, his sightless blue eyes widened in fear. "I-I can't…we're all out…" his voice trailed away, and a cold weight dropped on Leafpool's heart. _No! Dapplekit!_

Leafpool grasped desperately for an idea, anything that could possibly save Dapplekit's life. And suddenly, a memory swam in front of her eyes. A big brown tom, beaming kindly at her and thanking her for an herb…he made a promise to her that day, and though it was made many moons ago, back when Leafpool was just an apprentice, she knew that Barkface's word was good.

"Where are you going?" Jaypaw questioned as she stood up, sounding frightened. He obviously was afraid Dapplekit would die at his paws if Leafpool left.

"WindClan," she meowed grimly. "Its our only chance. Barkface will let me have some of his herbs if he has any; he owes me, and medicine cats care about _all_ cats."

"But what if Barkface doesn't have any?" Jaypaw mewed softly.

Leafpool didn't answer. She didn't need to.

Jaypaw nodded and dripped some water into Dapplekit's mouth from wet moss. "Ill give him a bit of honey; it should help with the cough."

Leafpool turned and rushed from the medicine cat den and almost straight into Brackenfur, who was pacing back and forth across the entrance.

"Is he-" Brackenfur began, but Leafpool rushed on before he could finish.

"I'm going to WindClan to get herbs from Barkface. We don't have anymore feverfew left, and he needs it. Tell Firestar."

She left him open-mouthed and slipped through the shortcut to the WindClan border, a tunnel she used to use during her nighttime visits with Crowfeather.

She ran almost the whole way to WindClan, hoping and praying to StarClan every second of it that Dapplekit would be all right, would cling to life until she got back with herbs…

She barely noticed as she crossed the stream and scent markers. Leafpool just plowed on across the windy moor as, true to the mood, storm clouds began to gather overhead and fat raindrops began to patter on the grass, lightly at first, then in drenching sheets of water. By the time she reached the camp she was soaking wet and shivering, looking half-drowned.

As if that wasn't enough, a familiar sharp meow greeted her ears as she staggered to the entrance and shelter of trees.

"What are you doing here, ThunderClanner?"

Leafpool glanced up and, to late, tried to pry her eyes away from Crowfeather's large blue ones. They widened as he recognized her and she finally tore her eyes away, to a spot right above his head. "I need herbs, badly…a ThunderClan kit is dieing right as we speak, and I hoped Barkface would lend me some."

Crowfeather hesitated for a moment, then nodded mewing something Leafpool couldn't understand. Even being so close to him, she couldn't drive the image of Dapplekit, shaking and coughing, from her mind, nor did she want to. She could have no distractions.

Leafpool ran through the camp as a blur, and several WindClan cats looked after her in confusion. At that moment she was immensely grateful she already knew the way to the Medicine cat's den. A familiar brown tom greeted Leafpool at the entrance.

"Leafpool? What are you-" he began, but again she interrupted.

"Dapplekit's dyeing from kittencough, and we haven't got any feverfew! Please, Barkface, I need herbs bad, he might already be dead…" she didn't have the strength to go on, just to stare into his eyes hopelessly.

Thankfully, he understood and immediately retreated into his den, returning in seconds with several white and yellow flowers and a ruffled looking apprentice.

He stuffed the herbs toward Leafpool and meowed quickly, "I can't leave, Weaselfur twisted his paw and I'm tending to him, but Kestrelpaw is more then capable of helping. StarClan bless, Leafpool. I hope they don't take the kit tonight."

She dipped my head gratefully picking up the precious herbs in her mouth, and hurried out, Kestrelpaw padding after her with the remainder of the herbs. As the two medicine cats reached the clearing, though, Leafpool was stopped by familiar amber eyes and a she-cat hissed loudly.

"Leafpool! What are you doing here! I thought I told you to stay away from WindClan territory!" Nightcloud looked dangerous and furious. Her loud yowl attracted the attention of many WindClan cats, including Onestar, who padded from his den followed by Crowfeather.

Onestar flicked his tail toward Nightcloud. "We are not hostile with ThunderClan. Leafpool needs herbs to save a kit. Kestrelpaw, you are traveling with her?"  
The gray and red apprentice nodded, his mouth too full of herbs to speak.

Onestar meowed again, this time to Crowfeather, "Crowfeather, please escort Leafpool and Kestrelpaw to ThunderClan camp. They will find it hard to find their way in this storm."

Crowfeather nodded and padded to Leafpool's side. She could swear he heard her heart pounding against her chest, and blood rushed to her ears. Tension crackled between them like lightning, and Leafpool felt as she had always felt when in his presence; as though her head was full of stars.

Nightcloud was not happy about this arrangement.

"Surely, Onestar, given her _history_, you would rather another cat went? What about Owlwhisker?" She mewed desperately to Onestar, sending me a nasty glare. Crowfeather tensed beside me.

"Surely, Nightcloud, you aren't suggesting that I would be disloyal to the clan? Onestar, have I not proven my loyalty to you and to WindClan?" Crowfeather mewed smoothly and softly. Though his voice sounded calm, Leafpool could sense the prickles lining them like thorns in her pelt, and was glad the words weren't directed at her.

Onestar hesitated, then nodded. "You have proved your loyalty, Crowfeather. I will not keep you away from your clan anymore, Leafpool. Go."

Crowfeather sprinted out the entrance, leaving Leafpool standing behind. She hurried after them as Kestrelpaw followed, but was slow compared to the WindClan cats. Half way through WindClan territory, Crowfeather noticed and fell back.

"Let me take those. You'll be able to run faster with an empty mouth." He carefully fixed his teeth around the feverfew flowers in Leafpool's jaws, and static shot down her spine as their muzzles touched, but just for the briefest moment before he took the herbs and ran after Kestrelpaw, who had stopped a few tail-lengths away.

Leafpool hurried to catch up with them, and she almost managed to keep up. As they reached the stream bordering the two territories, a new sort of adrenaline pumped through her as Leafpool though again of Dapplekit, shaking with coughs on the den floor.


	4. Too Late

**_Yay! 4th chapter! ok this is a kind of sad chapter :( but dont worry the story will change back to a slightly more cheerful mood in the next couple chapters, hopefully. I'm not sure exactly what will happen. Enjoy!_**

They reached the ThunderClan camp entrance and Leafpool rushed through it, leading Crowfeather and Kestrelpaw to the medicine cat's den. ThunderClan cats turned to stare curiously at them as they passed, and Leafpool was relieved that they weren't gathered around in the middle of the clearing sitting vigil, as they would be if Dapplekit had died.

Leafpool ran past Brackenfur, who had resumed his spot pacing outside the medicine cat's den. Crowfeather and Kestrelpaw followed, holding the feverfew.

Jaypaw looked up as they approached, and Leafpool's belly clenched with fear at the hopeless expression on her apprentice's face.

"Is he…?" she couldn't bring herself to say the word. She could barely see the small scrap of fur beyond Jaypaw.

Jaypaw cast his eyes down onto the den's mossy floor, though he couldn't have seen the other cats had he kept staring at them. "I-I'm sorry Leafpool. I tried. He only just passed into StarClan's paws."

Leafpool felt as if her paws were sinking into mud very quickly; she could barely breathe as the despair compressed around her and she fought the urge to yowl for help. Dapplekit, dead. She hadn't been quick enough. _How will I tell Sorreltail?_ The thought stuck in her mind, making her feel sick.

She was dimly aware of a pelt brushing against hers and Crowfeather's soft, un-prickly voice that he only used on rare occasions.

"Leafpool, I'm sorry. I wish we could have been faster." He meowed quietly in her ear. After a pause, almost as an after-thought, he rasped his tongue over her ear.

Suddenly, anger welled up inside her. Reasons started popping into her brain, telling her that it was somehow all Crowfeather's fault that Dapplekit was dead, that they weren't quick enough. Her anger seemed to drag her back to reality, and she sent him a quick, furious glare, then moved a few mouse-lengths away from him.

Leafpool straightened, suddenly aware of Kestrelpaw and Jaypaw's curious, narrowed eyes. Padding over to Jaypaw, she toughed her muzzle to his ear-tip. "Don't dwell on it, young one. There comes a time in every Medicine Cat's life where we cannot save a life. But it is not your fault, and I don't want you to think that for a moment."

Jaypaw stiffened. "But it was…if I wasn't blind-"

"Don't say that! Your blindness had nothing to do with this! _Nothing._ Your one of the greatest Medicine Cats I know. But if StarClan chose to take Dapplekit tonight, we have to accept that."

Kestrelpaw nodded in agreement and smiled shakily at Jaypaw; the smile was not returned.

"Now come on," Leafpool meowed heavily. "We need to tell the Clan…especially Brackenfur and Sorreltail."

Jaypaw followed her slowly out of the den. Crowfeather gingerly lifted Dapplekit's limp body and waited for Kestrelpaw to pad in front of him before leaving Leafpool's den.

Brackenfur looked up hopefully as Leafpool left the den. "Well? Did the herbs work? When will Dapplekit be able to come back to the nursery?"

Leafpool slowly shook her head and murmured, "I'm really sorry, Brackenfur. Dapplekit…he passed into StarClan's paws right before we arrived."

Right at that moment, Crowfeather appeared carrying Dapplekit's body. Brackenfur's eyes widened as he looked from Crowfeather to Leafpool in disbelief.

"No…Dapplekit…" he mewed weakly. Jaypaw winced, but Leafpool put her tail comfortingly around Brackenfur's shoulders.

"Dapplekit is safe with StarClan now. And you still have Gorsekit. ThunderClan will not forget him." She murmured comfortingly.

She lead Brackenfur and the rest of the cats to the clearing, and as ThunderClan caught site of Crowfeather, Dapplekit dangled limply in his mouth, cries of shock and grief were heard all around the clearing. Leafpool could clearly see Sorreltail's shocked face through the crowd.

Crowfeather passed Brackenfur his son's body and stepped back so ThunderClan could mourn properly. Firestar was standing in the midst of the cats, meowing something about Dapplekit, but Leafpool couldn't hear a word. She was glaring at Crowfeather again, and her eyes stung.

He noticed. "Leafpool?" he murmured. "Leafpool, what's wrong?"

"This is all your fault!" she burst out angrily. All other cats were huddled in the clearing listening to Firestar, but Leafpool saw Jaypaw's ears prick.

Crowfeather looked stung. "_My_ fault? I-what did I do?"

"You! You-" Leafpool's voice faltered, but she hissed on strongly, "Never mind, it's not your fault. It's Nightcloud's!"

This time, Crowfeather's eyes filled with anger. "Nightcloud's!"

"Yeah! If she hadn't been so suspicious and tried to stop you from coming with us, we would have gotten here sooner!"

"You're being ridiculous, Leafpool! Nightcloud could only have kept us for about 10 seconds! Why do you hate Nightcloud so much? What did she ever do to you? Or…or are you just jealous?" he demanded. Leafpool's eyes widened.

"Jealous! Of _her_? Why would I ever be jealous of that crow food eater?" She demanded hotly.

Crowfeather's eyes narrowed, and his voice was more dangerous and prickly then ever. "_Don't_ call her a crow food eater. She's the mother of my son-and given our past, I would assume that's what makes you so jealous of her."

Leafpool stepped back, her eyes as wide and disbelieving as if he had just struck her. She recovered quickly, however, and hissed softly, "I cant believe you just said that, Crowfeather. I'm not…_jealous_ of Nightcloud because you love her. We're over. We have been for moons."

Leafpool turned and hurried back to the clearing to join the ThunderClan cats. She could hear Crowfeather calling her back, but she ignored him.


	5. Jaypaw's bitterness

**_Woah. I had a completely different idea for this chapter, but I like this better. So I just pushed those ideas into Chapter 6, which should be up soon. Review, and feel free to critique! I want to know how to make my writing better._**

"Leafpool? Are you _sure_ nothing's bothering you?"

Leafpool's pelt bristled slightly, but she took a deep breath and meowed calmly, "Yes, Squirrelflight. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I've been having these random feelings…of anger, and well...just some weird feelings. And they were totally unrelated to what I was doing at the time. Leafpool…is Crowf-"

"It's got nothing to do with Crowfeather!" she lied, interrupting. "If you _must_ know, I've probably been feeling angry because of _your_ son!"

Squirrelflight blinked her large green eyes. "Jaypaw? What's he done?"

Leafpool rolled her eyes. "Just show me _no_ respect, grumble about being a medicine cat, and wine about how he's so useless because he's blind! Seriously, Squirrelflight, mixing your attitude with Brambleclaw's was not your brightest idea!" she finished, hissing. With that, Leafpool spun around and stalked away, leaving Squirrelflight staring after her dumbly.

Leafpool felt sorry for saying those things, though they were partially true. She just hoped the lie would be convincing enough to keep Squirrelflight off her tail, at least for a little bit.

"Leafpool?" meowed a deep voice nearby. She turned her head and saw Brambleclaw padding briskly towards her.

"Yes Brambleclaw?" she mewed weakly, desperately hoping he hadn't overheard her conversation with Squirrelflight.

"Firestar said to tell you who's going to the gathering; You, Jaypaw, me, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Thornclaw, Cloudtail, Ashfur, Spiderleg, Berrypaw, Honeypaw, and Lionpaw. If you see any of them, pass the message along." He turned and strode off.

Leafpool breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to her den to tell Jaypaw the news. She was glad Squirrelflight wouldn't be there to watch her all night.

She met Spiderleg lying in a patch of sunlight by the warrior's den, sharing tongues with Whitewing.

"Spiderleg! Brambleclaw said to tell you your going to the gathering tonight. Meet the rest of the cats in the main clearing at moonhigh."

"Am I going, Leafpool?" Whitewing meowed hopefully.

'Sorry, Whitewing. Not this time." Leafpool mewed, then turned to pad away. As she left, she saw Spiderleg give Whitewing's ear a quick lick.

"I'm sorry, Whitewing. I'll tell you what happens at the gathering, ok?" Spiderleg meowed.

Leafpool sighed as she padded away from them; it seemed as if every cat in the forest was mocking her and her choice not to stay with Crowfeather.

She padded into her den and blinked to let her eyes adjust to the dark interior. She jumped in surprise as Jaypaw's eyes flashed at her from a corner of the den.

"Jaypaw? What are you doing cooped up in here? I thought you wanted to collect the watermint by the stream." Leafpool meowed nervously. She didn't like the look on his face.

"Oh, I suppose I'm just sitting here being useless, as always." He mewed sullenly.

Leafpool's eyes widened. "What are you talking about, Jaypaw? Of course you're not useless!"

Jaypaw stared at her with his sightless eyes again, and Leafpool shivered. "You did. I met Squirrelflight on the way to collect watermint, and she told me what you said about me. Sorry for being such a _bother_ to you." He hissed out the last part bitterly.

Leafpool stared at him in horror. "Jaypaw I-I'm sorry! It's not what you think it is!"

"Don't bother!" he snarled. "I know exactly what you, and every other cat think of me! Useless! Burden! Blind! I'll never be a real clan cat."

Leafpool's voice shook as she meowed, "I swear, I didn't mean it like that! I-I lied to Squirrelflight."

Jaypaw looked at me in disgust and hissed, "Don't lie to me. I know you would never lie to Squirrelflight, she's your sister."

Leafpool didn't answer. Jaypaw obviously wasn't going to listen to her unless she told him the reason she would have lied, and she could never do that. So she just turned away from him and padded toward the herb stock.

"Longtail has cracked pads. I can take care of this one. You should rest. We're going to the gathering tonight." Leafpool mewed quietly, then hurriedly padded out of the den, herbs clamped in her jaws.

Leafpool and Jaypaw avoided each other most of the day. By dusk, Leafpool's paws ached from tending to her clan alone all day, but she didn't want to go in her den and talk to Jaypaw. She thought wearily of the journey to the island where gatherings were held, and wasn't looking forward to it.

As a yowl sounded across the clearing, she looked up from the mouse she was sharing with Sorreltail and saw cats gathering around Firestar in the center of the clearing. It was time to go to the gathering.

Sighing, she stood up and licked Sorreltail's ear. "We'll talk when I get back. I'm glad to hear Gorsekit is getting so big. It means he'll be very healthy."

Sorreltail nodded sadly and meowed, "Yes. I just wish Dapplekit could have been like him too…"

Feeling awkward, Leafpool turned and padded over to join the cats gathering around Firestar. Cloudtail turned and smiled at her.

"Hey Leafpool! Excited about the gathering? I wonder if Firestar will mention how close those ShadowClan warriors have come to our borders…"

Leafpool nodded distractedly and padded forward to stand beside her mother.

"Hello Leafpool! How are you?" Sandstorm mewed with concern.

"Fine. I'm great, and the herb stocks are full again." Leafpool answered, trying to control her temper. Why did every cat keep asking how she was? Did she seem different or something? She thought crossly.

"Ok, I think that's everyone. Lets go!" Firestar meowed loudly. The group of cats padded through the camp entrance and into ThunderClan's forest. Leafpool noticed Jaypaw padding along beside Berrypaw and Lionpaw and sighed. She would have to hope he was willing to listen tomorrow. Pushing these thoughts from her head, she concentrated on putting one aching paw in front of the other.


	6. Kits again

**_Ok so I read through this last night and noticed some BIG mistakes.So I fixed all the ones I could find; if I missed one, please tell me!_**

"WindClan!" yowled Firestar loudly from the front of the column of cats. A large group of cats had just appeared in front of them, all sleek-bodied WindClan warriors. Leafpool's heart lurched as she recognized the gray-black pelt of Crowfeather, padding to the left of Onestar. Ashfoot stood on Onestar's right.

"Greetings, Firestar." Onestar meowed, leading the WindClan cats to pad alongside ThunderClan at the edge of the lake. Leafpool saw a golden-colored pelt slip over beside a group of WindClan apprentices and wondered what Lionpaw wanted with them.

"Hello Onestar, Ashfoot." Firestar meowed, dipping his head. "Crowfeather." He added with a slight nod.

Crowfeather murmured a greeting to Firestar and let his eyes wander over the ThunderClan cats. Leafpool jerked her head away from his gaze as he tried to meet her eyes, and strayed back from her spot by Sandstorm to pad along beside Thornclaw instead.

The warriors traveled quite silently to the island together; the only talk was between Firestar, Onestar, and Brambleclaw. Though the full moon shone brightly overhead, the cats kept a respectful distance from different Clans. Leafpool's heart hammered almost the whole journey, and Thornclaw kept sending her strange looks, as if he could hear it. Crowfeather remained by Onestar's side, and Leafpool thought sourly of how much respect he must have in his clan. _His life is so perfect now that I'm out of it; he's got a mate, a son, and respect to rival the deputy's. While I'm stuck as a medicine cat, mate less, kit less, and with only Jaypaw to keep me company._

Leafpool shook her head to calm herself. _I'm being ridiculous!_ She thought to herself. Of course she wanted Crowfeather to have a happy life. ...Right?

The cats topped the last hill in WindClan's moorland and gazed down at the island below them. They could see the silhouettes of cats crossing the tree bridge.

Ashfoot raised her nose in the air. "RiverClan must already be here." She meowed. Firestar nodded and flicked his tail to the ThunderClan cats, signaling them to follow him down the rise. Onestar and WindClan followed them, and soon all of the cats were sprinting down the steep hill towards the tree-bridge. Being naturaly fast, WindClan pulled ahead and reached the island first. ThunderClan followed and waited behind WindClan to cross the tree-bridge.

Leafpool watched as Crowfeather padded quickly across the trunk, his pelt shifting in the moonlight. He looked so much at ease when he crossed, especially for a WindClan cat. Leafpool shook her head again and turned away from the bridge, embarrassed.

ThunderClan began to cross, and Leafpool watched anxiously as Jaypaw crept across the tree-bridge. She was slightly alarmed that he didn't have a cat with him, as he couldn't see where he was going and Leafpool usually helped him across. But just as she was about to sprint towards him to help, Willowpaw crossed the bridge from the other side and helped Jaypaw cross the rest of the way.

Leafpool breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't think Jaypaw would have accepted her help kindly.

Finally, it was her turn. She leapt lightly on top of the tree and paused to get used to the feel of rough bark beneath her paws. Unsheathing her claws in case she slipped, she made her way steadily across the tree-bridge and leapt down lightly on the other side to join the throng of gathered cats. Scanning the clearing, she padded swiftly toward a light honey-colored cat.

"Hello Mothwing!" she purred. The RiverClan medicine cat turned and spotted Leafpool.

"Hello Leafpool. All well in ThunderClan?" she meowed.

Leafpool shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not. Dapplekit died of kittencough. I ran out of feverfew and went to WindClan to get some, but by the time I got back he had already passed into the paws of StarClan."

Mothwing gave a stiff nod, and only then did Leafpool realize her mistake; her friend didn't believe in StarClan. They stood awkwardly for a moment, and then Leafpool spotted Tawnypelt talking to Brambleclaw nearby. Grateful for the escape, she mewed farewell to Mothwing and went to join the brother and sister.

"Greetings, Leafpool. I was just telling Brambleclaw about my kits." Tawnypelt meowed.

Leafpool's eyes widened. "You had kits? Congratulations, Tawnypelt!" she purred. Leafpool didn't know Brambleclaw's sister well, but she knew she was a good friend of Squirrelflight's.

Brambleclaw nodded and meowed, "I was trying to get her to tell me who the father is, but no luck. I don't think she wants to give me a reason to be soft on any ShadowClan warriors."

At that moment, a yowl sounded across the clearing. "We meet beneath Silverpelt commanded by the full moon." Blackstar called across the clearing. Leafpool hurried to join the other medicine cats at the roots of the huge oak in the middle of the island. Jaypaw, Willowpaw, and Kestrelpaw were lying next to each other; Willowpaw and Kestrelpaw were gazing up at the leaders with interest, while Jaypaw, unseeing, staredat his paws with pricked ears.

Leafpool sat beside Barkface and Mothwing and watched as Leopardstar began to speak.

"-a new warrior this moon, Minnowpelt." She was meowing. Several cats around the clearing nodded and yowled their approval; a gray and white she-cat sitting among the RiverClan cats smiled confidently. Leafpool spotted Mousepaw gazing at her happily and frowned.

Leopardstar had nothing more to say and Blackstar stood up. "We have two more kits in our clan; they were born two moons ago and are both healthy and will make strong ShadowClan warriors." He glared around at the clearing. Cats from the other three clans looked a bit shocked by his open hostility, but ShadowClan, especially Tawnypelt, were glowing with pride.

Firestar dipped his head and stood; his flame-red pelt glowed eerily in the moonlight. "I have some sad news from ThunderClan; almost a moon ago, two kits were born, but Dapplekit died a quarter moon ago from kittencough. Gorsekit, however, remains strong and healthy." A few cats from other clans looked sadly at the ThunderClanners and Barkface flicked his tail over Leafpool's shoulder.

"Kestrelpaw told me. I'm sorry about the kit." He meowed sympathetically. Leafpool nodded and stared again at the leaders; she didn't want to show Barkface how emotional she was about Dapplekit's death.

Onestar stood and meowed proudly, "WindClan has also gained a new warrior! Heathermask is now a loyal warrior of WindClan!" Again, cats around the clearing purred and yowled their approval. Heathermask had been a very popular apprentice. Lionpaw gazed at her with admiration; again, Leafpool's whiskers twitched and she frowned. _Maybe we should keep a closer watch on our apprentices…_

"Also," continued Onestar, "we will soon have a new litter of kits! Nightcloud is with kit!"

Again, murmurs of congratulations rippled through the clans, most directed at Crowfeather, as it was known he was her mate. Leafpool didn't join in with the voices, though; she felt an icy claw tear through her heart. Glancing quickly at Crowfeather, she saw his blue eyes gazing back at her. She turned quickly away, not wanting to be caught in his gaze again._ Why can't I just be angry with him again?_ She wondered. In that brief time when she had blamed Crowfeather after Dapplekit died, she had almost forgot about her feelings for him. But now they returned, full force.

The gathering broke up, and cats from different clans said their good-byes and made their way to the tree bridge. Leafpool watched as Willowpaw helped Jaypaw cross.

Just as she had decided to make her way there herself, a voice hissed her name softly.

"Leafpool! Over here!"

She spun around and came face to face with Breezepaw. Looking at him in surprise, she meowed, "Yes?"

Breezepaw looked embarrassed and meowed slowly, "Well…I was just wondering…well, my mother seems to dislike you a lot."

_That's an understatement._ Leafpool thought dryly, but kept it to herself and continued to gaze at Breezepaw.

"And…I was just wondering, since you saved my life and all…" he looked flushed, as if he didn't like the idea of owing a cat from another clan his life. "I was wondering why she doesn't like you. Every cat in the clan seems to know, but no cat will tell me." He finished by looking up at her hopefully; he had the same eyes as his mother.

"I'm sorry, Breezepaw," Leafpool meowed slowly. "Nightcloud dislikes me because of something that happened in the past; I hoped she wouldn't mind me after awhile, but it seems I was mistaken."

"But what happened?" Breezepaw persisted.

Leafpool shook her head. "Again, I'm sorry. I can' tell you that." With that, she turned away and hurried after her clan mates. Glancing back, she saw Crowfeather pad up to his son then glance up at her. As his eyes met hers, Leafpool's paw steps faltered, and she gazed back at him.

He finally turned his head away, and padded off to a group of WindClan cats, beckoning for Breezepaw to follow. Leafpool sighed and looked back in front of her, following her clan across the tree-bridge and back to ThunderClan territory.

**_In case your wondering why Blackstar is just now announcing Tawnypelt's kits if they were born 2 moons ago, it's because he doesnt want to seem weak to the other clans so he doesn't anounce them until it's sure they'll be strong and healthy. At least, thats how I always imagine him to be like. Also, in case some of you are wondering, in PO3: the Sight on the allegiances page it said Tawnypelt was a queen, so she must ave had her kits by now._**


	7. How are you?

**_Okay...not much mention of Crowfeather in this one, but I dont like to think tht he's always on her mind. Still, a lot happens here. Next chappie up soon!_**

"You wanted to see me, Firestar?" Leafpool meowed politely as she stepped through the lichen covering the entrance to her father's den.

The ThunderClan leader looked up and purred. "Yes, I did."

Leafpool sat down opposite Firestar and gazed at him curiously. His grin faded to concern. Then Firestar asked the dreaded question.

"How are you?" he meowed.

Leafpool fought the emotions inside her and tried not to sound irritated as she meowed, "Great. Never been better. Why do you ask?"

Firestar answered uncertainly, "Oh, I don't know, I've just been worried about you. And Squirrelflight mentioned that she was worried…" his voice faded as he saw the mutinous look on Leafpool's face.

_Squirrelflight! I should have known!_ She silently cursed her nosy sister.

"Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" Firestar asked uncertainly.

"Quite sure." Leafpool meowed tersely. This was starting to annoy her. "Well, is that all you wanted to speak to me about?"

Firestar nodded slowly. "That's all."

"Then I'm going to go and collect some poppy." As she turned to leave, however, Firestar called her back.

"Don't travel too far from camp just yet! I'm bout to call a clan meeting." He meowed.

Leafpool pricked her ears and narrowed her eyes. "A clan meeting? Why?" she meowed suspiciously.

Firestar grinned and laughed. "Don't worry, I'm just performing Berrypaw, Hazelpaw, and Mousepaw's warrior ceremonies."

Leafpool smiled mischievously. "Trying to keep up with Leopardstar and Onestar?"

Her father shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it's always good to have more warriors then the other clans, but it's still about time they received their warrior names. They have been warriors longer then the two cats announced at the last gathering."

Leafpool nodded in agreement and wondered if she should mention how she had noticed Lionpaw and Mousepaw paying particularly close attention to the two she-cats mentioned, but decided she didn't want more angry apprentices to deal with if she were wrong.

Licking her father on the forehead in farewell, she turned and left the den. She missed having a close relationship with her parents and sister, but at least she had her medicine cat duties to distract her.

As she padded out of his den she blinked in the bright early green-leaf sunshine. Cats were stretched out in front of den entrances sharing tongues, as it was too hot right now to do much else.

Leafpool tried to hurry past all the mates without being noticed, but Brook called out to her as she passed her and Stormfur lying in front of the warriors den sharing tongues.

Greetings, Leafpool." She meowed in her heavily accented tribe voice. "How are you?"

Leafpool stopped mid paw step. There it was again; that question.

She rounded on Brook and snapped, "Do I look like there's something wrong with me?"

Brook looked affronted and Stormfur growled angrily, "There's no need to be angry! She was just trying to be nice!"

Leafpool' fur flattened and she meowed apologetically, "Yes, I'm sorry. Just haven't been having a good day, I suppose." Brook smiled shakily, but Stormfur gave a small snort and went back to grooming Brook.

Leafpool turned and padded to her den feeling terrible. Why was she snapping at any cat that tried to talk to her?

As she entered her den she saw Jaypaw sorting through a high stack of herbs; since they had started avoiding each other, both had taken to collecting herbs in different parts of the forest. The only up side to this was that their stocks were overflowing.

He scrambled to his paws and tried to dart past her, muttering something about looking for poppy, but Leafpool blocked his path.

I think we already have quite enough poppy seeds," she meowed, pushing aside the fact that she had used this same excuse on Firestar earlier. "Besides, Firestar asked us not to travel too far from the camp right now; he's about to call a clan meeting."

Jaypaw's ears pricked in curiosity despite his desire not to appear too interested. "A clan meeting? What for?"

Leafpool was about to answer when Firestar's yowl sounded across the clearing from the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge. It is time for three of our apprentices to finally receive their warrior names."

Jaypaw's eyes widened and he rushed from the den. Leafpool followed and saw Firestar standing on top of the Highledge, cats scrambling to their feet and padding there excitedly. Mousepaw, Berrypaw, and Hazelpaw were standing shocked by the entrance to the apprentice den, eyes wide and mouths open in shock. Brambleclaw nudged his apprentice toward the Highledge and the other two followed eagerly, tripping over their paws.

Leafpool purred in amusement at the sight and hurried from her den to follow them.

"I gather you all for the ceremonies of three loyal apprentices. Berrypaw, Mousepaw, and Hazelpaw have proved themselves worthy to earn their warrior names."

Yowls of approval echoed around the clearing, and Leafpool joined in happily. The apprentices certainly had proved themselves, especially since they weren't clanborn.

"Berrypaw!" Firestar called. The cream-colored tom padded forward excitedly, and Leafpool winced as she glanced at the spot where his tail should be; it had been severed by a fox trap when he was a kit, and Leafpool still remembered having to bite through the last tendons of the tail when she realized it couldn't be saved.

"I, Firestar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Berrypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" he meowed down to Berrypaw. Leafpool saw Daisy's ears flick at these words, but Berrypaw didn't seem to notice.

"I do." Berrypaw's voice rang out strong and calm through the clearing; Leafpool saw Brambleclaw gaze down at his apprentice proudly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Berrypaw, from this day on you will be known as Berryfur. StarClan honors your bravery and loyalty and accepts you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar finished. He leapt down from the Highledge and rested his muzzle on Berryfur's head. Berryfur licked Firestar's shoulder in respect and stepped back to join the warriors. Leafpool saw Spiderleg and Birchfall congratulate him.

"Berryfur! Berryfur! Berryfur!" the clan chanted.

Firestar performed Mousepaw then Hazelpaw's ceremonies next. The clan chanted along for them too. (Mousewhisker! Hazelclaw! Mousewhisker! Hazelclaw!) Then the clan cats broke up the meeting and padded back to their dens. Bramcleclaw organized the Sunhigh patrol, taking Berryfur, Mousewhisker, and Hazelclaw on their first patrol as warriors.

Leafpool padded cautiously over to Jaypaw, who had not moved as the clan meeting had broken up. "Jaypaw?"

He shifted and turned his head towards her before she had even spoken. 'What, Leafpool?"

Leafpool took a deep breath, praying to StarClan that she would know what to say. "I need to talk with you in my den." She flicked her tail for him to follow, and then paused, remembering that he couldn't see her. "Follow me," she added hastily.

Jaypaw followed her into their den and sat, staring at her without seeing her. "What is it? Longtail said his pads were cracked and I was planning on going to help him."

Leafpool nodded, wondering why Longtail hadn't come to her, but brushed it off and meowed slowly, "I'm sorry for what I said to Squirrelflight. I-I mean it, I was lying because…well, because she asked me if something was bothering me and I didn't want to tell her the real reason so I just…blamed it on you. I know I shouldn't have, if it got you in trouble with your mother."

Jaypaw tilted his head. "Then what _is_ the real thing that's bothering you?"

Leafpool sighed. "I'm sorry Jaypaw, but I really can't tell you that. Perhaps someday…but for now, I just want to make sure we aren't avoiding each other anymore. Your training has seriously fallen back, and if we gather any more herbs we wont be able to fit in our own den!" Leafpool purred in amusement, but Jaypaw didn't smile, only nodded.

"Okay. I miss training to. But…tomorrow, can we train in warrior duties? Like hunting or fighting?" his voice was eager and his tail flicked back and forth excitedly.

"Sure," Leafpool purred.

The rest of that day, she helped Jaypaw take care of the ill cats and taught him a bit about herbs. She realized how much she missed mentoring and vowed to herself not to injure her relationship with Jaypaw again.

But that night, as the cats of ThunderClan were all silent and sleeping, Leafpool stared out of the den entrance at the three silent silhouettes of the new warriors, and only one image came to her mind; Nightcloud lying on her side, nursing two smoky-black cats with blue eyes, and thought bitterly of how her relationship with Crowfeather may be damaged beyond repair.

**_No, I have NO idea what Berrypaw, Mousepaw, or Hazelpaw's warrior names will be, I just liked these ones._**


	8. At home

**_WOOT! Next chapter! k so a funny story about this chapter...I wrote it at 1:00 in the morning last night. I'm not sure why, I just started writing and I COULDNT STOP! see, I get in these 'writing moods' where I come up with these brilliant ideas(not to sound conceited or something) and if I dont immediately write it down then I'll forget it. So I snuck on the computer and wrote most of it, then finished it and touched it up this morning. (apparently there's lots of mistakes if you write at 1 in the morning :P) So Enjoy! Next Chappie up soon!_**

Leafpool was padding through a star-lit forest, but the territory was unfamiliar to her. It definitely wasn't ThunderClan.

"Hello?" she called out. Her voice echoed back at her from the trees. She began to pick up her pace, and was soon sprinting through the trees. She didn't know where she was; she was lost, alone, and confused…

Suddenly, her paws hit pebbles instead of dirt and she skidded to a halt just in time. Water lapped against her forepaws and she breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized the star-strewn waters. _The lake!_

She padded on along the edge of the lake, her paws seeming to know the way, though Leafpool wasn't consciously trying to go anywhere. Always, she stayed within a tail length of the lake.

Leafpool padded past the stream that marked ThunderClan and WindClan territory; she seemed to have left the strange forest into the clan's natural territory. She breathed in the scent of the moors, and the rolling hills felt like home.

Her paws still guided her across WindClan's territory. She wondered slightly if she should be here, then remembered that she was dreaming and smiled to herself.

Her heartbeat quickened and began to race as she recognized the lithe shape of a WindClan warrior sitting on the edge of the lake. Leafpool padded toward him with more certainty and bravery then she ever could have accomplished in the waking world.

"Crowfeather…" she murmured. He didn't look around at her but his tensed shoulders relaxed and his tail curled around his paws. Leafpool padded toward him and sat down close by his side; their pelts brushed, and Leafpool felt that small shock that came from contact with him.

His shoulders drooped and he stared down at his paws as he murmured, "Leafpool…can you ever forgive me?"

Leafpool looked at him curiously, trying to catch his eye, but he stared resolutely at his paws. "What for?" Right now, in this dream, she couldn't think of anything he needed to be forgiven of.

Crowfeather meowed dully, still gazing at his paws, "For not fighting for you. For making you choose between your clan, and me. For calling you jealous, and for having kits with Nightcloud."

"Oh," Leafpool mewed quietly. _Well when you put it that way…_she thought to herself.

"But most of all," Crowfeather whispered, finally lifting his head to stare into her warm amber eyes, "most of all, please forgive me for trying to love another she-cat…when I could never stop loving you."

Leafpool felt her paws leave the ground, and her head was in the stars. _He loved her! He really did!_

She was about to purr back at him, about how of course she would forgive him, and as long as they could finally be together she was happy. Then reality came crashing down around her ears. This was a dream. She wasn't really meeting Crowfeather by the lake, wasn't really brushing against his pelt; dream Crowfeather had said these words to her because these were the words that she so desperately wanted to hear. But she would never hear them, not from the real Crowfeather. He loved Nightcloud…was having kits with her again…he was over her, passed their flimsy feelings and brief elopement. He had found his real true love, not with the young ThunderClan medicine cat, but with Nightcloud.

Leafpool backed away from him, shaking her head slowly. "No…" she whispered. "No, you're a dream. I don't believe you!"

'Leafpool?" meowed dream Crowfeather, confused. He stood and took a pawstep towards her, but before the false Crowfeather could come any closer, Leafpool had turned and fled across the WindClan moorland. She hurtled herself into the trees of ThunderClan, and tried to find her clan's camp, but it was not there; suddenly, she was back amongst the strange forest from the beginning of her dream, and she looked around desperately for a way out.

"Help!" she cried through the trees. Then, yowling for the first cat that came to her mind, she cried, "Spottedleaf!"

A familiar sweet scent overcame her, and suddenly a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat had appeared through the trees. She moved lithely toward Leafpool and pressed her nose against the other medicine cats.

Leafpool was trembling with exhaustion and fear, but she managed to croak out, "Spottedleaf, what do I do? I still love Crowfeather, so much, but I know he loves Nightcloud…I have no hope with him, but more every day, I feel like an outsider to my clan!"

Spottedleaf gazed at her with wide green eyes and meowed softly, flicking her tail toward the trees, "What forest is this, Leafpool?"

Leafpool cast her eyes around, absorbing the details of the forest where she was lost. And then she recognized the huge, towering oak tree in front of her. _The Sky Oak! I'm in ThunderClan!_ Yet…she still couldn't remember how to get back to camp…she struggled with her memories of the forest, trying to remember the way home from here, because she knew she had been here to collect herbs before…but no. She was as lost as ever, in the forest of her home.

Spottedleaf still gazed at her. "You realize, then, that this is our forest? ThunderClan's home? The territory you know so well? But you do not feel at home here. Here, you feel strange and lost. Tell me, Leafpool…where _do_ you feel at home?"

The answer came to Leafpool's mind like a brightly shining star, and she gasped at Spottedleaf. "You can't mean…but Spottedleaf, didn't you want me to stay in ThunderClan?"

Spottedleaf's gaze strengthened. "You must listen to your heart, Leafpool, and let your paws guide you to where you belong."

As Leafpool opened her mouth in confusion, Spottedleaf turned and raced through the trees. Not wanting to get lost again, Leafpool bounded after her.

She could spot the medicine cat's gleaming pelt just ahead, but as she broke through the trees she suddenly recognized the cliff in front of her. Leafpool's paws left the ground; she was hanging over nothingness, and in the split second before she fell, she scrabbled and clung to the high stone wall of the ThunderClan camp. She had run right over the wall!

"Help!" she cried again, and this time a dark shadow feel over her; she looked up and saw Crowfeather standing over her, his blue eyes anguished.

"Crowfeather!" Leafpool hissed through gritted teeth. "Crowfeather, help me!" She suddenly had a flashback of a day very similar to this; the day Crowfeather had told her he loved her…

Crowfeather gripped Leafpool by the scruff and the medicine cat relaxed her hold on the wall; she knew she was safe with Crowfeather to support her.

"But suddenly Crowfeather mewed, as clearly as if he hadn't had Leafpool's scruff in his mouth, "Leafpool, I'm sorry It was all my fault. I shouldn't have let you go."

And suddenly she was suspended by only air again; Crowfeather had released his hold on her, just when she had felt safe in his jaws; this time, she could not get a grip on the Camp's walls. She plummeted through the air, and right before she hit the ground, she distinctly heard Crowfeather whisper, "You walk my dreams, Leafpool. And I walk yours."

And then she plunged into darkness; there was no pain, but there was no light. The last thing to go as the stars and moon were extinguished were two bright blue eyes, staring down at her in horror.

**_PLEASE tell me you like it...lol jk. btw-NO leafpool's NOT dead, this was a dream, remember? Oh, and look for symbolism and stuff like that in this chappie, there's a lot..._**


	9. Lionpaw's Secret

**_This is up a bit later then other chapters because I was out of ideas. I wanted to skip to the next chapter, but thought this should be cleared up first...anyways. I'm not too happy with it, but I guess its not as bad as I thought it would be._**

"Leafpool..? Are-are you sure you're-"

"I'm fine!" Leafpool meowed exasperatedly. "Honestly, Squirrelflight, what do you think is bothering me?"

Squirrelflight sighed worriedly. "I don't know, Leafpool! That's why I'm so worried about you! You wont let me in! Leafpool, whatever it is, I want to help! And don't try to blame it on Jaypaw, I know that's not what's bothering you." 

Leafpool continued to stare at her paws, but when it was clear that Squirrelflight wasn't going anywhere until she got an answer, she sighed and looked up. "Squirrelflight…"

Her sister sat in front of her, penetrating her with her sharp green eyes. There was no getting out of this.

"I-I had a dream from StarClan, that was kind of…well, its just been bothering me." Leafpool mewed cautiously. Technically, it wasn't a lie…

Squirrelflight's eyes widened. "Really? What was it about?"

Leafpool shook her head. "Sorry, a medicine cat doesn't share her dreams with any cat until she knows what they mean."

Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes again, and Leafpool decided it would be best to escape without further questioning. She stretched and stood up, then slowly began backing toward the camp entrance while reassuring Squirrelflight.

"I'm really sorry, Squirrelflight, I'd love to share it with you, but I really think StarClan meant for only me to know about the dream." She turned and hurriedly padded toward the entrance that was just tail lengths away now, but Squirrelflight caught up with her.

"Wait! Where are you going?" she accused. _Apparently, I can't fool her that easily…_ Leafpool thought bitterly.

"I'm going to collect some watermint I found by the stream yesterday." she meowed innocently.

At that moment, Lionpaw tried to slip past them out the entrance, but Squirrelflight spotted this to. "And where are _you_ going?" she asked her son.

He froze and turned toward her. "Er…Ashfur said I could hunt…and he's busy, so…"

"Well, can you hunt by the stream with Leafpool?" she asked. Leafpool sighed, knowing she still suspected Crowfeather was involved.

Lionpaw's ears, however, pricked up at this offer. "The stream bordering WindClan, you mean? Sure! Come on, Leafpool!" and he turned and ran out of the camp entrance.

Leafpool, glad she had an excuse to get away from her sister, sprinted after Lionpaw to the stream, leaving the ginger she-cat to glare after them.

They reached the stream, but apparently Lionpaw had no intention of helping Leafpool or hunting with her.

"Ok well…I'll just leave you to your herbs and I'll go hunt…over there." He mewed nervously, flicking his tail towards a spot a bit farther down the stream.

Leafpool's eyes widened. "Isn't that a bit too close to the WindClan border? If a patrol came along they could accuse you of stealing prey!"

But Lionpaw was already turning to pad towards that part of the stream. Flicking his tail, he meowed, "Don't worry, they wont."

She wondered briefly what this meant but shrugged it off and went to work gently biting watermint stalks from a clump of the herb she had found yesterday. The water flashed under the bright sun, and she thought happily of how content the Clan was this season. She was never too busy…Jaypaw knew his herbs well enough to take care of the clan…ThunderClan didn't need her anymore…

Leafpool shook her head to clear her thoughts; every time she started thinking along this line of thought, she got closer and closer to just running over the WindClan border to Crowfeather. _And tomorrow I'll have to concentrate more then ever…_

Tomorrow at moonhigh the medicine cats from each clan would journey to the moonstone to share dreams with StarClan. Leafpool just hoped that they would give her the answer she needed…

A starling shrieked loudly from a tree, bringing the medicine cat out of her reverie. Looking around, she saw no sign of Lionpaw. _Where is he?_

Leafpool sighed and padded along the stream bank to the spot Lionpaw had said he would be hunting, but there was no sign of him. Leafpool didn't call out, in case he were stalking prey and she scared it away, but after a few minutes she began to worry.

"Lionpaw?" she called softly, padding further along the stream.

Her ears pricked as a slight scuffling was heard from on the other side of the stream. Lionpaw appeared there, on WindClan territory, and quickly jumped from stepping stone to stepping stone back to Leafpool, his golden pelt shimmering in the sun.

Leafpool gaped at him. "_What_ were you doing on WindClan territory?" she demanded. Lionpaw glanced up at her guiltily then stared down at his paws.

"A…a mouse ran across the border and I just thought I could run in and get it real fast…it was only a tail-length in…

Leafpool snorted derisively. "A mouse? Ran across the border? Lionpaw, the border is a stream! How many mice have you seen run across water? And still, that would have been stealing prey from WindClan! Do you think I'm mouse-brained or something?"

Lionpaw mumbled something she couldn't understand, but Leafpool had an idea of what it was by his tone and her eyes widened in shock.

"I-excuse me? You _do_ think I'm mouse-brained" she stammered. The fur on her neck and back began to rise instinctively.

The golden-furred apprentice glared at her then ran away through the trees, back towards ThunderClan camp. Leafpool stared after him, her eyes wide. Lionpaw had never been known to act like his arrogant brother, had always been the sweet and kind kit in Squirrelflight's litter…yet here he was, trespassing on WindClan territory and calling the Medicine cat mouse-brained! _Something's bothering him…_Leafpool thought to herself, and she was determined to find out what.

Looking around carefully for the sign of a patrol, she leaped across the stream bordering WindClan and followed Lionpaw's scent to a bush near where she had first seen him.

_Nothing suspicious, besides the fact that he's on WindClan territory…_Leafpool was about to give up and turn back to ThunderClan when her open mouth picked up another scent, camouflaged by the scents of countless WindClan patrols. Breathing in the scent, Leafpool realized it was definitely she-cat.

_Lionpaw's been seeing a WindClan she-cat!_ Leafpool gaped at the place where they would have stood together, two cats from different clans…

Suddenly, Leafpool heard a rustle of leaves above her. Whirling around, she saw a pair of eyes the color of a late-afternoon sky staring at her from up a tree._ A WindClan warrior!_

Leafpool bolted across the few tail lengths of WindClan territory and leaped clear over the stream. She didn't stop running until she had reached the camp entrance, where she came to an abrupt stop, panting and gasping for breath.

"Leafpool? What's wrong?" mewed a concerned voice. Leafpool looked up into the eyes of Poppypaw, who was guarding the entrance to the ThunderClan camp with her sister, Cinderpaw.

"Nothing…just…been hunting…" Leafpool mewed, still panting. Giving the two apprentices what she hoped was a reassuring smile, she padded past them into an almost empty clearing. Most cats must be out hunting.

Fearing that the WindClan cat might have already alerted Onestar to her presence in their territory, she padded straight to Firestar's den and was relieved to find him discussing the ShadowClan border with Brambleclaw and Ashfur.

"I'm sure they mean no harm by it, perhaps a ShadowClan apprentice just strayed too close to the border…" the gray warrior was meowing. Brambleclaw and Firestar's eyes both widened with shock and Brambleclaw was about to say something when Firestar noticed his daughter standing by the entrance.

"Leafpool! Is something wrong? You look terrified!" he meowed, leaping to his paws. Ashfur and Brambleclaw both turned towards her.

"Firestar, can I speak with you? Alone?" she added, with a glance at the deputy and warrior. Their faces were curious but they both left reluctantly as Firestar flicked his tail towards the entrance to his den.

When they were alone, Firestar meowed quietly, "Leafpool, what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath and started explaining to Firestar about how Lionpaw had gone with her to the WindClan border then disappeared, up to the part where she crossed the border to find out what he had been doing over there.

"-I picked up another scent by his, a WindClan she-cat, and then I looked up and eyes were staring out at me from a tree!" she finished. Firestar's eyes were troubled.

"Lionpaw's been meeting with a WindClan she-cat? I never would have guessed…" he meowed sadly.

Leafpool nodded, but her ears burned with shame as she imagined Firestar would have said something similar when she had run away with Crowfeather. "Or me, he always seemed to follow the warrior code…" she broke off as Firestar looked up at her suddenly.

"What cat caught you over there? What color eyes did they have?" he meowed sharply.

"I-I don't know, looked almost the color of heather…" Leafpool stammered.

Firestar's ears pricked. "Heather…Heathermask! Of WindClan, do you think that was the she-cat Lionpaw was meeting?"

Leafpool's eyes widened and she thought back to the gathering. "Yes! Yes, I think it is. I was watching when they announced her warrior name at the gathering, and Lionpaw was staring at her…"

Firestar sighed. "Well then, I'll have to speak to Lionpaw. Lets hope Heathermask wont tell Onestar about seeing you out of fear of him finding out about Lionpaw."

Leafpool nodded and padded out of her father's den. She knew it was highly unlikely, but hoped Firestar's suspicions were right about the young WindClan warrior. Because if they weren't, it was likely that WindClan and ThunderClan would go to battle once again…

**_Tell me what you think, PLEASE._**


	10. Second Best

**_Yay new chappie! I can't decide if I like this one that much...some parts yeah, but the ending is a bit rushed. Anyways, enjoy, and remember to review!_**

The half moon shone brightly down on the pretty brown tabby cat and her blue-gray apprentice. They moved smoothly across the moonlit moorlands, their pelts shifting with every step.

"There's Littlecloud and Barkface with Kestrelpaw," Jaypaw meowed quietly. Leafpool nodded and hurried toward the other medicine cats, shivering with excitement.

"Greetings, Leafpool, Jaypaw." The big dark brown tom meowed, dipping his head.

"Hey Jaypaw," Kestrelpaw added. The blind apprentice just nodded and flicked his ears, turning around.

"Mothwing and Willowpaw are coming." He meowed. The other medicine cats didn't question how he knew this; they were used to Jaypaw's keen sense of smell and hearing.

Sure enough, the pale-gold medicine cat and her gray tabby apprentice topped one of the moorland's hills, padding steadily toward their meeting place. When they reached them, the other medicine cats greeted them and they began to pad onward to the moonpool.

"How are things in WindClan, Barkface?" Leafpool mewed casually.

"We have plenty of herbs, and not too many cats are ill. Nightcloud had a small cough, but I gave her some tansy and it left quickly. The kits should be fine."

Leafpool smiled slightly and tried to look unconcerned as she meowed, "And when are Nightcloud's kits coming?"

"About another moon and a half," he mewed, glancing at her curiously. To change the subject, she addressed Littlecloud next.

'And how are ShadowClan, Littlecloud? Firestar is worried about the border again. Are you running short on prey?"

Leafpool saw Jaypaw's ears prick and tried to ignore him. Her apprentice had still not learned all the ways of a medicine cat.

Littlecloud rolled his eyes as he meowed, "No, we have plenty of prey, but you know Blackstar. He wants all the territory for ShadowClan he can get, and after Firestar gave up that last piece of territory, he thinks he'll be able to do it again."

"He's wrong!" hissed a voice angrily, and all the medicine cats stopped and turned to face Jaypaw. The apprentice's fur was on end, and his eyes were narrowed at Littlecloud.

The ShadowClan medicine cat looked taken back, and he meowed quickly, "I never said he was right, Jaypaw. I was only telling Leafpool what I heard."

"Apologize, Jaypaw! Remember, you are a medicine cat, and the ways of warrior rivalry are far beneath us." Leafpool felt embarrassed that her apprentice's behavior was so hostile towards the other medicine cats.

Jaypaw muttered an apology and the medicine cats began traveling again, climbing up the rocks leading to the moonpool. Tension filled the air as Mothwing and Leafpool gave reports on their own clans.

Leafpool lay down on the edge of the moonpool when they reached it, and breathed in the scent of the star-filled water.

The other medicine cats settled around her, crouched at the edge of the pool. She dipped her head and licked up a few drops of the sparkling icy water, tasting liquid starshine on her tongue.

Immediately, she was on empty moorland, wind whipping her fur until she had to dig her claws into the ground to keep still.

She looked around frightened. _Where am I?_ "Spottedleaf!" she called out.

Immediately, the wind ceased. A familiar tortoiseshell cat was padding toward her, beside a pretty silver tabby._ Feathertail!_

Leafpool ran forward to meet them, and the starry she-cats purred with delight. "Feathertail! Spottedleaf!"

"Greetings, Leafpool." Feathertail meowed kindly. She touched her nose to Leafpool's.

"Oh Feathertail…what should I do? Crowfeather is always in my heart, but I know he loves Nightcloud."

Feathertail flicked her tail onto Leafpool's shoulder and began padding across the moorland. "Follow me." She mewed. Leafpool hurried after her, and Spottedleaf padded by her side, reassuring her with her warm pelt.

They suddenly topped a hill, and below them lay the WindClan camp. Leafpool could see cats moving around inside it, looking like mice from far up on the hill.

Feathertail and Spottedleaf suddenly sprinted down the side of the hill, and Leafpool hurried after them. They reached the edge of the camp, and Feathertail waited patiently by it.

Leafpool's words caught in her throat as a familiar gray-black tom suddenly appeared out of a hidden tunnel in the bracken, followed by a round-bellied black queen. The two cats didn't glance their way, and Leafpool realized that neither could see them.

"Crowfeather, what in StarClan do you want?" Nightcloud meowed irritably. The dark tom turned his gaze on her.

'Nightcloud," he mewed quietly. "Are the kits really mine?"

The queen stiffened. 'Of course Crowfeather, who else could be the father?" she snapped, but her tail twitched nervously. Leafpool's eyes widened in shock.

Crowfeather continued to gaze at her with his penetrating blue eyes, and Nightcloud glanced around nervously. "I don't believe you." He mewed finally.

Nightcloud hissed and dropped her voice. "Of course you don't believe me, you would much rather pad after that ThunderClan medicine cat then bother with more kits of _mine_."

Leafpool's heart pounded and she glanced at Feathertail, but she was still gazing at Crowfeather.

This time it was his turn to hiss. "Leafpool and I…are finished. If anything, she's just a friend." His eyes filled with pain, and Nightcloud looked outraged.

"Don't lie to me, Crowfeather!" she hissed. "I see how you stare at her at gatherings, and keep patrolling the ThunderClan border, hoping you'll see her. Well, maybe I'm tired of being second best to the cat that didn't love you enough to choose you over her own clan. Maybe I want a tom that will treat me better then you do!" with that, Nightcloud turned and padded back into the camp, leaving Crowfeather standing alone.

Leafpool could clearly see pain etched into his features, filling his eyes. The pain of losing his third love. She longed to reach out to him, but she knew he wouldn't be able to feel or see her.

Then the WindClan camp, along with Crowfeather, vanished. She was standing in a clearing filled with trees that glittered with dew, and she knew she was in StarClan territory. Feathertail and Spottedleaf had vanished.

Her ears pricked as a beautiful golden-colored she-cat padded towards her, and she recognized her instantly.

"Goldenflower?" she mewed to Brambleclaw's mother.

She dipped her head and gazed at Leafpool. "Beware the enemy and accomplice of Hawkfrost who has penetrated your clan. He has a noble and loyal heart, but is driven by fear to do Blackstar's bidding, as the wicked leader holds the cat that he loves most in danger."

Leafpool's eyes widened and she was about to answer, but the golden cat, along with StarClan's hunting grounds, vanished, and she was lying by the moonpool, blinking her eyes open.

Jaypaw stood stiffly beside her, and she wondered briefly what he had dreamed about. Had Goldenflower given him the same message?

Leafpool's thoughts were swept far away from Goldenflower's ominous message, however, as she padded across WindClan territory to ThunderClan. _Crowfeather didn't love Nightcloud! The kits weren't his!_


	11. Graystripe's loves

**_I'm SO sorry I haven't gotten this chappie up as fast as the others. I was busy this week. :( anyways. LOVE this chapter. First time with a cliff hanger ending, and its an excellent one to, which means I will leave you all waiting in eager anticipation until I update again :P muahahaha! lol. Enjoy! Tell me if you like!_**

Leafpool jerked awake for the seventh night in a row, gasping. Looking around, she saw that everything was fine, that the clan wasn't in danger of enemy cats.

Ever since the last moonpool journey, she kept having the same dream; all centered on what Goldenflower had told her.

_And why did Goldenflower tell me? Why not some other StarClan cat?_ The question kept coming back to her. Was it because she was related to the cat that was betraying ThunderClan? But that would mean Brambleclaw…and hadn't he proven his loyalty by saving Firestar? And Blackstar couldn't be threatening Squirrelflight; she was here safe in ThunderClan…

Leafpool shook her head to clear it and laid her head back on her paws. The whole mess was so confusing…she felt like the answer was right under her nose, she just couldn't see it. And this whole mess with Crowfeather wasn't helping to clear her thoughts.

_Crowfeather._ The name sent a tingle down her spine. She couldn't believe it…the kits weren't his, he didn't love Nightcloud…but still, Leafpool hadn't abandoned ThunderClan. For one, she couldn't be sure Crowfeather would even agree to run away with her. What if he want to ignore their feelings again, and stay in WindClan where he had gained so much respect? Leafpool was sure if Ashfoot or Onestar died, Crowfeather would be named deputy. Was that a life he wanted to leave?

Leafpool cleared her head again and stood up in her nest, stretching. A soft light shone through the den, and she padded into the clearing. The only cat up besides her was Graystripe, guarding the camp entrance.

"Greetings, Leafpool." He meowed pleasantly as she passed through the camp entrance. Sudden inspiration struck her, and she turned back to face him.

"Graystripe?" she mewed shyly. "C-could I ask you something?"

He turned toward her again. "Sure. What's up?"

Leafpool thought about her words before she said them, careful not to reveal too much. "I was just wondering…your first mate Silverstream, she was from RiverClan, right?"

Pain clouded in the gray warrior's eyes. "Yeah. She was."

"Well…well, I was just wondering…what made you decide to choose her over your clan? I mean, how did you know it was the right thing to do?"

Graystripe sighed and meowed quietly, "I'm not sure _how_ I knew, exactly. It just felt right, and I loved her _so_ much…I suppose, if you really love a cat, you'll know if it's the right thing."

"Yes but…do you ever regret choosing her over ThunderClan?" Leafpool continued, hoping she wasn't bothering him.

The gray tom's amber eyes burned with intensity, so much so that Leafpool took a nervous step backwards.

'Regret it? Never. I know I made the right choice to be with Silverstream. If I hadn't, Feathertail and Stormfur would never have been born, and I would have never been with the most important she-cat in the world."

The medicine cat hesitated before moving on, "Okay. I understand that."

"Do you?" He meowed surprised. With a lurch, Leafpool realized what she had just said and silently scolded herself.

"What I mean is…like, if my family or a friend I really loved was in another clan, I would want to be with them." She meowed hastily.

Graystripe's eyes narrowed, but before he could inquire further, Leafpool interrupted him.

"If you loved Silverstream so much, how did you ever move on to Millie?" she glanced over his shoulder and saw the small silver kittypet sleeping by the entrance to the warrior's den. Graystripe's eyes followed her gaze and rested warmly upon her figure.

"It took me a long time. I thought I would never meet a she-cat that I could love as much as Silverstream. But then I met Millie, and…I found I had enough room in my heart to fall in love twice."

Leafpool nodded thoughtfully; she had been worried that Crowfeather didn't love her as much as he did Feathertail. But there was one more thing she had to know…

"Erm…Graystripe? One more question?" she mewed, holding his amber gaze in hers.

He sighed and nodded, glancing at the medicine cat suspiciously. "Sure."

"If…if something happened to Millie," Graystripe winced at this but Leafpool plowed on, "And if she d-died or couldn't be your mate anymore…do you think you would be able to find another cat to love? A third mate?"

His eyes swept over me, and suddenly he lowered his voice and hissed, "Leafpool? Have you been seeing that WindClan tom again?"

The small tabby she-cat leaped away from him, her eyes full of fear. "No!" she meowed quickly. Graystripe flattened his ears. Suddenly, Leafpool decided to tell him the truth; if anycat could possibly understand, he could.

"No, I'm not seeing Crowfeather. But I want to, and I need to decide; ThunderClan, or Crowfeather."

Graystripe penetrated her fur with his eyes, as if trying to see if she were lying or not. Finally, he murmured, "I see."

"You…you wont tell anyone, will you?" Leafpool mewed uncertainly.

Graystripe stared down at her then off into the trees of ThunderClan. "When I was seeing Silverstream, your father kept my secret for me, even when it seemed like we would be torn apart by it. Now…I think this is how I will repay him. I wont tell any cat about your feelings for Crowfeather."

"Thank you Graystripe!" Leafpool pressed her muzzle into the long gray fur on his flank and raced through the camp entrance toward the stream bordering WindClan. She knew what she had to do now; she had to see Crowfeather. That's what her heart was telling her to do, and her paws had always been leading her to him.

She padded up and down the WindClan border for hours, until twilight started to settle across the sky. _I'll have to cross the border and find him,_ she thought to herself.

Leafpool leapt lightly across the stream and crouched low in the undergrowth. She knew the trees grew only so far on this side of the border, and soon she would be in danger of being spotted across the moorland.

Staying to the trees, Leafpool gazed across the moorland, her eyes raking for the trace of a black pelt. And suddenly, there it was; a speck of darkness upon the green hillside.

She watched Crowfeather travel across the moorland, coming closer and closer to the ThunderClan border. Leafpool couldn't believe her luck; she had been sure she would have to travel across the moorland for a little ways, and even then hadn't expected to find him alone.

_Why _is_ he alone?_ She wondered briefly. Was he coming to the ThunderClan border to try and meet her, as she had done?

Her pelt prickled with anticipation as he came closer. Then she noticed something wrong, different about him; the cat's stomach bulged where she had remembered a sleek, skinny WindClan warrior. The scent that came drifting to her on a small breeze wasn't the familiar, soothing scent of her beloved. This new scent was tangy and sharp, and underneath that came a sweet scent Leafpool immediately recognized; milk.

_Milk? Why does Crowfeather smell like milk?_

The cat was now tail lengths away from her, and breathing sharply and jaggedly. Amber eyes lifted and met Leafpool's; in shock, or perhaps she was just too weak to stand any longer, the cat collapsed onto it's side and started convulsing.

Dread gripped Leafpool along with realization as all the pieces came together; the bulging stomach, the milk smell, even her traveling all the way here alone.

This cat wasn't Crowfeather. She wasn't even a tom.

It was Nightcloud. And she was having her kits.


	12. Nightcloud's betrayal

**_ok. I FINALLY have this new chapter up. I know, I havent been updating a lot. It's just getting harder to think of plots and stuff for each new chapter. I promise, the next one will be up in two, three days. And Im not entirely happy with how this came out...anyways... Enjoy!_**

Leafpool seemed paralyzed with shock. All she could do for a moment was sit in her hiding place and watch as Nightcloud writhed and shuddered on the ground.

Finally, the instinct of a medicine cat gripped her. She leapt toward the queen and started licking her forehead, wishing desperately that she had herbs.

"It's okay Nightcloud, you'll be all right, your kits will be fine…"

Her words were drowned in a loud yowl from Nightcloud. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain and a tiny kit was born, covered in blood. Leafpool quickly started licking its fur as it mewed feebly, but Nightcloud pushed her away and finished tending to the kit herself. Leafpool watched silently.

Soon after, another kit was born, and Nightcloud also cared for this one herself. Leafpool wished there was _something_ she could do, but without her herb supply, she couldn't think of anything.

Nightcloud stopped licking the second kit and nudged them to her belly to suckle. Leafpool watched silently, then slowly padded forward.

"Nightcloud?" she mewed softly. The dark WindClan queen looked up at her.

"Leafpool…what are you doing here?" she mewed, her voiced edged with sharpness.

The medicine cat tried to keep her fur from bristling and her voice calm as she answered, "I…heard you from ThunderClan. I was on the border collecting herbs and thought I should help."

Nightcloud's amber eyes narrowed as she looked up at her. "Liar. You were coming to see Crowfeather, weren't you?"

Leafpool looked away. She didn't want to admit it to her, not to this cat she disliked so much, even if she and Crowfeather weren't mates anymore.

"Take him."

The low, harsh meow surprised Leafpool and she looked up at Nightcloud amazed. The queen was staring down at her kits, which, now that the blood that once matted their pelts was gone, Leafpool saw were a black tom and light brown she-kit.

"They're not his." She continued to gaze down at her kits, as if not wanting to meet Leafpool's eyes out of shame.

The medicine cat didn't know what to say to this, though her heart was hammering happily as Nightcloud confirmed both her and Crowfeather's suspicions. Instead, she changed the subject.

"Nightcloud, what were you doing all the way out here anyways? Especially when you are so far along with kit!"

Nightcloud squeezed her eyes shut. "I had to get away…the queens worrying over me in the nursery, Owlwhisker worrying over me outside of the nursery, but most of all, Crowfeather…Crowfeather, just looking sadly at me every time he saw me with Owlwhisker. It was worse then him yowling at me. It just made me feel…guilty…so guilty."

Leafpool knew well the look she was talking about, and completely agreed with her. "So…Owlwhisker? He's the father of your kits?"

"Yes. Owlwhisker would _never_ go padding after another she-cat like Crowfeather did."

Leafpool's pelt did bristle this time. "Crowfeather never went _padding after me." _She hissed softly. Pain filled her eyes and she looked away. "I know I made a mistake by staying with ThunderClan, but Crowfeather never came back to me. He came to you."

"But he never loved _me_ as much as you. He was always thinking about you. I could tell…"

This was the first time Leafpool ever felt sorry for the WindClan she-cat Crowfeather had chosen as his mate. She knew well the feeling of loving a cat you thought was in love with another.

Nightcloud picked up one of her kits and stood, swaying slightly.

"Where are you going?" Leafpool mewed alarmed. It looked like Nightcloud would collapse if she took another pawstep.

"Back to camp. They'll want to know I'm okay." She looked uncertainly at the other kit, trying to find a way to carry both across the moor.

"Let me come with you! You'll never make it to camp with two kits in tow!" Leafpool meowed earnestly, hoping she wouldn't reject her.

Nightcloud grunted in agreement and started across the plains carrying the tabby kitten. Leafpool carefully picked up the black kit in her jaws and followed, being carefully not to bounce the small scrap of fur against her legs. Nightcloud repeatedly glanced back at Leafpool, as if she didn't trust her with her kit.

They topped the last hill and the camp spread before them. Leafpool could see cats moving about inside it, no doubt searching for their missing queen. Nightcloud sighed and moved forward, panting lightly with the kits in her mouth. Leafpool followed, anticipation gripping her heart. _Crowfeather was there…_

They pushed through the gorse tunnel and were greeted immediately by Owlwhisker.

"Nightcloud! What were you doing so far away from camp? And is that…Nightcloud! Our-I mean your-kit! You had your litter already?"

Nightcloud gently pushed Owlwhisker aside with her shoulder, revealing Leafpool and the black kitten. The brown tabby tom purred in delight and leaped toward her, attempting to take the kit form her jaws.

"Thank you, Owlwhisker, but seeing as they're _my_ kits, I'll take-" the black tom stopped mid-sentence. His blue eyes widened as he saw the ThunderClan medicine cat.

A brown tom came hurrying toward them and started checking the kits for injury. "Thank StarClan you were with her Leafpool, or Nightcloud or the kits could have died! What in StarClan's name were you doing so far from camp?" Barkface meowed.

Nightcloud ducked her head and began padding toward the nursery with her kit in her mouth.

"I'll take the other kit to the nursery, Leafpool. Thanks again!" Barkface meowed, taking the kit and trotting after her. Owlwhisker, after glancing nervously at Crowfeather, slinked after them.

Leafpool glanced around nervously, and saw that she was alone with Crowfeather. The rest of the WindClan cats had returned to their dens.

"You…you saved them?" Crowfeather finally mewed. Leafpool just nodded, averting her eyes.

The black tom gazed after Nightcloud toward the nursery, where Owlwhisker's tail was just disappearing. "They're not mine, you know. I think they're Owlwhisker's kits."

Again, Leafpool could only nod as Crowfeather turned his gaze back on her.

Lowering his voice, he hissed softly, "Leafpool, what were you doing so close to the WindClan border? I have to warn you, Heathermask saw you on WindClan territory almost a moon ago and Onestar is getting defensive…its really only because Barkface is low on herbs that we haven't gone to battle with ThunderClan!"

Leafpool looked up and stared at Crowfeather incredulously. "So…what? You think I'm trying to spy on WindClan or something?"

Crowfeather looked taken aback. "I-no! That's not what I meant! _I _don't think that, but the other cats and Onestar do! I was just wondering _what_ you're doing on WindClan territory if not what they think."

The medicine cat looked down at her paws. "…The first time I was on WindClan's territory I found out Lionpaw and Heathermask were seeing each other. An tonight…I was looking for you."

She could feel Crowfeather stiffen. He opened his mouth to say something, just as Webfoot padded across to them.

"What do you think you're doing with the ThunderClan medicine cat? Not planning to elope with her again, are you?" the prickly elder hissed, glaring at Crowfeather.

"No, Webfoot. Keep to your own business. I'm loyal to WindClan." He hissed back harshly.

Webfoot grunted suspiciously and padded away, leering at them. Leafpool suppressed a shiver, then looked up at Crowfeather again. "So is that your answer?"

"I…I have to think about it." He mewed softly. "But Leafpool…just so you know…I do still love you." With that, he turned and padded towards the warriors den.

Leafpool felt paralyzed, glue to the spot. _He still loved her! He really did!"_

She turned and padded through the gorse tunnel, across the moors and into ThunderClan's forest. But the whole journey, her mind was not on the Clan's territory. Her head was in the clouds, and she ran on the wind, for only one thing mattered to her. Crowfeather loved her, and she had another chance with the tom she loved.


	13. Ashfur Revealed

**_Arg. took me soo long to update. I didnt have many ideas for this chapter...anyways, I'm not sure if I like it or not. THe whole thing with Leafpool seems very religious, so sorry for that also, tomorrow's my b-day,(8-18-07) so this is my birthday present to you. (yours to me can be lots and lots of reviews :D) Review please, tell me if you like!_**

Leafpool raced through the trees toward ThunderClan camp. She was happier then she'd ever been in her life. Nothing could ruin her good mood, not Squirrelflight demanding where she had been, not Jaypaw's sullen attitude. _Nothing._

Then she heard it. It was not particularly loud, but to her it pierced her heart and rent the air around her. The high, caterwauling call of battle.

Her paws pounded along the forest floor as she tore through the trees, not with strength and happiness this time, but with adrenaline and fear. No…not tonight…

Leafpool skidded to a halt by the camp entrance, staring down at the clearing in shock. ShadowClan cats fought with ThunderClan cats everywhere she looked; Brambleclaw and Graystripe clawed at Rowanclaw's flank; Cloudtail bit into Russetfur's shoulder while Hollypaw darted under the ShadowClan deputy, clawing at her stomach; Whitewing, Millie, and Brightheart lunged and clawed at Oakfur; Spiderleg and Dustpelt tackled Smokefoot; Sorreltail and Sandstorm slashed their claws and fangs at Snowbird; Jaypaw dragged an injured Poppypaw to the medicine cat den; and in the middle of the chaos and panic, Firestar fought fiercely with Blackstar, claws flashing through the air at each other.

Leafpool darted across the clearing towards Jaypaw, who was struggling with Poppypaw. Before she could reach him, however she was bowled over by a ginger she-cat and gray tom, fighting furiously.

As she turned to run back to Jaypaw, something stopped her. Leafpool slowly looked back at the pair that had knocked her over and stared in disbelief. It was Squirrelflight. And she was fighting Ashfur.

She leapt between them, pushing them apart. Ash fur panted and stayed still, but Squirrelflight struggled against her, claws flashing.

"Leafpool, you don't know what your doing! Let me go!" she yowled.

"Squirrelflight stop! Why are you fighting Ashfur? Or did you not notice the battle going on around us?" Leafpool yowled sarcastically.

She hissed at Ashfur through gritted teeth. "Its not that, Leafpool. He's a traitor!"

Leafpool turned and stared at the gray ThunderClan tom. Ashfur's eyes were on the ground, and he refused to look at her.

Leafpool padded towards him slowly, and gently touched her nose to his shoulder. Squirrelflight looked outraged, but Leafpool ignore her and mewed, "Ashfur? Who does Blackstar have?"

He raised his blue eyes in surprise, but answered quickly, "Tawnypelt. He has Tawnypelt hostage. And Applefur, Birchpelt's mate."

Leafpool's mouth dropped open, and she stood there for a moment like a gaping fish before a couple of fighting apprentices scuffled across their path. She closed her jaw with a snap and raced toward Firestar, yowling.

"Stop! Stop it everyone!" she called, leaping up onto the Highledge. Cats of each clan turned to stare at her as she passed and Blackstar and Firestar ceased fighting, though their muscles were tense and ready to spring at each other.

"What are you doing, Leafpool?" Firestar meowed tersely.

"This is all a misunderstanding! Birchpelt and Ashfur aren't traitors!" Leafpool mewed desperately. Blackstar glared at her but she ignored him.

ThunderClan yowled in protest.

"Oh course he is!" Cloudtail yowled.

"He led ShadowClan right into our camp, the worthless piece of fox-dung!" Brambleclaw hissed.

"I _saw_ Birchpelt attack Poppypaw!" Mousepaw yowled.

The cats started surging and fighting around her again, and this time Firestar yowled, "STOP!"

Reluctantly, the cats stepped away from each other, eyeing each other balefully.

"What do you have to say, Leafpool?" he meowed.

Leafpool stepped up and nervously addressed both clans, while trying to avoid the death glare Blackstar was sending her.

"Ashfur and Birchpelt _did_ betray ThunderClan, but they were forced to by Blackstar!" she meowed.

Murmurs and disbelieving yowls broke out around her, from both ThunderClan and ShadowClan. Apparently, the enemy clan didn't know of their leaders treachery.

"How? Don't try to make excuses for them, Leafpool!" Dustpelt snarled. Leafpool's fur prickled but she forced her voice into calmness.

"They were in love with ShadowClan warriors. Blackstar was threatening to harm Tawnypelt and Applefur if they did not betray us." She finished. Squirrelflight gaped at her, eyes wide. Leafpool saw her sister flash a glance in Ashfur's direction, who was staring at the ground between his paws.

Blackstar snarled and leapt at Leafpool. The medicine cat darted away, and tumult broke out around her. Firestar was yowling and hissing angrily, and Leafpool had never seen her father so furious.

"How dare you? Fox-dung!" He leapt at Blackstar, pinning him to the ground. ShadowClan cats yowled in protest, and ThunderClan warriors tried to stop them from getting at the two leaders.

"Get off of me!" Blackstar hissed, forcing Firestar off with his huge black paws. He scrabbled to his paws and stood facing Firestar, every hair on his pelt bristling.

Firestar hissed, looking just as dangerous. "What you are doing is against the warrior code! My Clan will take you back to your territory, and you will release Tawnypelt and Applefur from your threat!"

The ShadowClan leader's eyes widened in fury. "And who are you to tell me how to lead my clan?" He yowled. ShadowClan yowled in approval, and a few of the ThunderClan cats swiped their claws over their muzzles.

"Blackstar," Leafpool meowed suddenly, and all the cats turned to face her. "Blackstar, StarClan is angry with you. What you have done is against the warrior code. What you just did, attacking me, was also against the warrior code. If you do not change your ways and follow the warrior code with faith, StarClan will strip you of all of your lives and leave a better cat as ShadowClan's leader." Leafpool was not sure how she knew to say this, but she had no doubt it was true. Blackstar had broken the warrior code, many times over.

Silence emanated from the clan cats. Blackstar stared at her with wide eyes, as did most of them. Leafpool ducked her had and leapt down from the Highledge without another word, beginning to help Jaypaw treat the wounded.

"Fine!" came a harsh meow through the silence, and she turned to see Blackstar scowling and panting. "Fine Firestar. Take me back to my clan. I wont harm Tawnypelt or Applefur."

"Or Tawnypelt's kits?" Firestar meowed. Leafpool saw Ashfur looking worriedly at Blackstar, and realized that they must be his kits too.

Blackstar scowled. "Fine. I wont harm the kits either."

Firestar chose a large group of warriors to take the ShadowClan cats back to camp. He then had Ashfur and Birchpelt confined to the warriors den, with Cloudtail and Spiderleg guarding the entrance.

Finally, Firestar padded into the medicine cat's den where Jaypaw and Leafpool were treating a wound on Whitewing's flank.

"Leafpool?" he meowed.

"Yes?" she answered tiredly. The journey from To WindClan and back was finally catching up on her sore limbs.

"I-well…that was very…strange, what you said in the clearing." He mewed carefully.

Leafpool nodded. "Yes, it was. I'm not sure how I knew what to say…StarClan must have been taking through me." She meowed slowly.

Firestar nodded. "You looked pretty powerful, up there…" he smiled a bit and licked Leafpool's cheek. "You may have more of me in you then I thought." He turned and padded out, flicking farewell to Jaypaw and Whitewing.

Leafpool smiled and returned to her work. She was glad she had done some good for the clans, and that her father was proud of her.

Healing consumed her every thought for the rest of the day, and not until she could finally collapse in her nest and drift to sleep did her thoughts return to Crowfeather.


	14. Moonhigh Meeting

_**Yay! New chappie! And I must say, I am **__**very**__** happy with the way this one turned out. Some things I wrote in earlier chapters will deny the message I'm trying to get through here, but hopefully you wont get that message until later chapters. For now…haha! I have given you another mystery that will be an absolute pain to find out, though I may have written it more obvious then I meant…anyways…Enjoy! Also, I put a bit of LeafxAsh action in for you leafxash shippers out there.**_

A twig snapped behind her and Leafpool swung her head around, coming face-to-face with Ashfur. The moon shone high above them, and was reflected like a great white orb in the gray warrior's deep blue eyes.

"Ashfur!" she yowled. He pounced on her and dragged her behind a small knot of trees before she could get another word out. She struggled in vain, for his tail muffled her meows and he hissed quietly.

"Shh! Do you want to wake all of ThunderClan?" his sharp hiss breathed in her ear. She quit struggling, seeing his point. ThunderClan would not be happy with her appointment tonight.

"Any cat there?" Spiderleg called through the dark, silent forest. She could sense the fear in the young warriors voice like trembling in the wind.

The long-legged black cat shivered and turned back around, pacing back and forth across the ThunderClan camp entrance. Ashfur relaxed his grip on Leafpool's body and flicked his tail for her to follow him deeper into the forest.

She followed obligingly, unease prickling her pelt. He led her farther away from the camp entrance into a thick grove of trees. Oppressing silence pressed around them as Ashfur peeked out through the trees, watching for stray warriors, and Leafpool hardly dared to breathe.

Finally, he seemed satisfied and retreated back towards her, meowing softly, "No cat is wandering about tonight. I don't blame them either…the forest seems different, stranger tonight." He shivered slightly.

"Then what are you doing out and about so late at night?" Leafpool meowed hotly. She didn't want to miss her meeting with…a certain WindClan warrior.

Ashfur sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "What else? Visiting Tawnypelt of course! Did you expect me to just quit seeing her after the battle with ShadowClan? Firestar luckily forgot to make that one of the conditions."

Leafpool nodded, wondering why she hadn't guessed this before. It seemed she wasn't the only one with a forbidden love in ThunderClan.

"But then where's Birchpelt?" she burst out. It seemed fit that the two close warriors would travel together to see their ShadowClan mates.

Ashfur sighed again, but sadly this time instead of annoyed. "They are…having troubles. Nothing of _your_ concern," he added harshly.

Leafpool nodded slowly, ears flat against her skull. "Well…you just go on your way and I'll go on mine then." She attempted to slip past him, but he blocked her pathway again.

"Wait! Where are_ you_ going on a night like this?" he asked suspiciously.

"I-just felt like walking about the forest. Some herbs are gathered best by moonlight." She meowed evasively.

His eyes widened disbelievingly and his meow was full of scorn. "Oh sure, gathering herbs. Why are you _really_ out here, Leafpool?"

"None of your business!" she snapped, and this time succeeded in pushing past him. She looked back as she pushed into the trees, but he was already gone. Leafpool blinked in surprise; how had he left so quickly and silently?

She shook the unease from her mind and padded onward towards the WindClan border, her pelt tingling. The dark and stillness of the night couldn't permeate her glowing anticipation.

There; she saw it at last. The gently rushing water of the stream bordering WindClan, an ideal meeting place for two cats of those clans.

The medicine cat lifted her nose in the air, and breathed in the sweet scent of her loved one; he had beaten her here.

"Crowfeather?" she hissed softly as she reached the stream. A slight scrabbling of paws on leaves, then the gray-black tom poked his head through the bushes.

"Leafpool!" Crowfeather sighed in relief and hurriedly pounced across the small stream, touching noses with her.

"Did you make it out all right?" Leafpool purred.

"Great. I think Nightcloud saw me, but we're more then finished by now…" he sighed in return. "You? Did any cat see you?"

"I ran into Ashfur on the way here…" she mewed hesitantly.

"Ashfur!" Crowfeather hissed. "Did he do anything to you? Try to stop you?" The WindClan's toms claws slid out from their sheathes and into the soft ThunderClan dirt.

"No, nothing like that!" Leafpool meowed hurriedly. "No, he was…on his way to see Tawnypelt actually."

Crowfeather blinked in surprise. "Tawnypelt? Why would he want to see her?"

Leafpool hurriedly told him about Ashfur's newfound relationship with the ShadowClan she-cat; she had left that out last time they met when she had told him of Ashfur and Birchpelt's betrayal, thinking the gray tom's relationship had already been publicized enough in ThunderClan and ShadowClan.

Crowfeather purred in amusement. "So it seems the last cat from the great journey has found a partner at last," he mused.

Leafpool purred quietly and twined her tail around his. "Have you found who your partner will be?"

Crowfeather blinked his blue eyes in surprise then purred. "You are, Leafpool. I realize how much I miss you when we are apart, now…"

Leafpool nodded and quietly pressed her pelt against his.

"How's Jaypaw?" Crowfeather suddenly asked. Leafpool looked up into his big blue eyes in surprise, unease prickling along her pelt.

"Jaypaw's…fine…very good with his herbs." She finished hastily.

Crowfeather stared at her for a second longer and turned to gaze out across the lake.

Leafpool purred and pressed against him. Glancing up at the moon, she saw it disappearing behind her and the sky lightening behind the lake and distant territory of RiverClan.

Crowfeather sighed and pressed his nose to hers once more. "Its time to go back to our separate territories. The Gathering is next week; I'll see you there?"

Leafpool nodded and purred before bounding off towards ThunderClan territory. Looking back, she saw Crowfeather's black tail disappearing through the slight forested ground of WindClan territory, and purred at the thought of him watching her until she had disappeared into ThunderClan's trees.

She arrived back at camp just as dawn was breaking, and managed to slip back into her den without being noticed.

She paused by Jaypaw's nest and bent, licking his forehead once, before padding to her mossy nest and curling up inside it.

_He couldn't know…no cat knows except me and Squirrelflight…impossible…_

These were her last thoughts as she drifted to sleep, but they followed her even into the world of dreams.

_**Ok…if you're wondering why I put that part about Ashfur disappearing and all that stuff, I always thought of him as a James Bond-like character…I don't know. I love little Ashy even though he gets quite snooty when he's older.**_

**_I'm trying to get in a bit of each pairing in this fanfic, so if you have a favorite, you may request it in your reviews! I'm running low on plots anyways._**


	15. WindClan Unease

_**Yes! I have **__**finally**__** updated! I know its been 3 weeks (or more) but please don't be angry! covers face with hands So the thing is, school started so I have like NO time on the computer except for homework. So in exchange for the long wait, I have written you a nice, long chapter, full of drama and with an excellent cliffhanger ending. Which, I'm sure may be a curse rather then a blessing, as it will take me at least a couple weeks to update again, unless by some miracle I have hours and hours of extra time this weekend. doubts itanyway….Enjoy!**_

The lean tabby she-cat stepped out of the medicine cat's den, amber eyes glowing from the rays of the sun-high brightness.

Clan cats milled about in the camp beneath her, and she eagerly sought out her friends and family.

There was Squirrelflight; her brilliant ginger pelt stood out in the sunlight against her mate's dark brown tabby fur. Brambleclaw stood talking to her and a group of cats, most likely assigning patrols.

Firestar padded out of his den onto the highledge where he lay, sprawled out, reviewing the scene. His whiskers twitched suddenly in pleasure, and as Leafpool searched for the source of his amusement, she saw her mother arguing gently with Cloudtail, who was whining about not getting to go on patrol.

_That warrior is more an apprentice then Hollypaw. _Leafpool thought warmly of her former apprentice. The rough-and-tumble she-cat had completely the wrong attitude for a medicine cat, and Leafpool admitted to her sister once that she was glad it had been sorted out in the end.

She spotted Sorreltail watching a 3-moon-old Gorsekit, who was frolicking about the nursery entrance, tiny claws scratching through the dirt and tail trembling as he watched the sun-high patrol leave through the thorn tunnel. It was clear he was anxious to go with them.

"Excuse me, Leafpool." A slightly cross voice meowed. Leafpool sighed good-naturedly and stepped aside, away from blocking the entrance to the medicine cat den. Her small, fluffy apprentice Jaypaw padded past her. He lifted his nose in the air for a moment, and then his blind gaze swiveled towards two apprentices sharing tongues in front of the apprentice den.

Leafpool sighed as she followed his gaze and saw Lionpaw and Hollypaw, pelts gleaming and muscles rippling. She was glad Jaypaw couldn't see how much more fit his fellow apprentices were.

"Hello Jaypaw." Leafpool meowed warmly. He flicked his ear and continued staring, unseeingly, at Lionpaw and Hollypaw.

"Perhaps you could give them their herbs today." Leafpool suggested. The cats weren't fully healed from the skirmish with ShadowClan.

"Sure. Jaypaw shrugged and disappeared into the their den, reappearing with a bundle of herbs. He then set off towards the apprentice's den, and greeted his kin.

Leafpool sighed as she watched him and turned away, picking her way down towards the clearing. The tabby she-cat whished more then anything that he could be like any other normal clan apprentice, but knew it was impossible with his blindness.

Leafpool gently nosed her sister in the shoulder and smiled.

"Hey Leafpool!" Squirrelflight meowed, watching her mate lead the patrol away.

"How are you, Squirrelflight? Excited about the gathering tonight?" her sister meowed back.

Squirrelflight's eyes narrowed suddenly, and she turned to Leafpool with a hushed meow. "Actually, yes. I wonder what Blackstar will be able to say for himself." She growled.

"What do you mean?" questioned Leafpool with a puzzled expression. "About the fight? Hasn't that been resolved?"

Squirrelflight shook her head, happy to have an eager audience. "No, it's different. Dustpelt caught scent of a ShadowClan cat on our side of the border!"

Leafpool's eyes widened. What did ShadowClan want now? "Well, that _is_ strange. This promises to be a very revealing Gathering."

Squirrelflight agreed and padded away to join a hunting patrol before the cats left for the gathering that evening.

Leafpool retreated to her den, and spent most of the day sorting herbs and sending Jaypaw to find some others they were low on stock of. She knew he like d to be out on his own in the forest, even if she worried about him so much.

She was walking along the clearing towards Sorreltail to talk when she overheard Berryfur talking eagerly to Poppypaw.

"Then Thornclaw pounced, and slammed that rabbit right into the ground! It was an amazing catch, I tell you..." his voice trailed off and he smiled shyly. "I wish you could have been with me to see it."

Leafpool couldn't make out Poppypaw's embarrassed reply as she walked away, and was left to her own thoughts once again.

She supposed she should be happy for the young apprentices, since they so obviously admired each other. But she still felt a pang every time she thought of Crowfeather, knowing their relationship would never be that normal and uncaring.

Deciding she didn't feel much like talking to her friend, she headed back towards her den. However, Firestar appeared beside Sandstorm on the Highledge before she had taken a few paw steps and called the cats going to the Gathering around the clearing.

She turned and padded towards the growing group of cats, spotting Jaypaw's fluffy blue fur in the midst.

"Hello Jaypaw! Excited about the gathering?" she meowed brightly. The apprentice looked away from Firestar, who he had been staring at with his blind eyes.

"Great." He said curtly, turning away. Leafpool shrugged and turned away, thinking this was close to normal behavior for Jaypaw. He must have had a bad day.

"Everyone here? Okay, lets go!" Firestar yowled, heading out through the thorn tunnel. Leafpool quickly found a place in the long line of cats, between Thornclaw and Cloudtail. The white warrior nudged his cousin playfully in the flank as they moved through the forest.

"How are you, Leafpool?" he meowed warmly. Leafpool was glad she didn't bristle every time that question was asked anymore.

"I'm great. StarClan had sent me an omen about ShadowClan that frightened me for a bit, but that was all cleared up in the fight with them."

Cloudtail nodded but Leafpool caught a flicker of doubt in his eyes. She tilted her head in confusion, but decided to shrug it off as nothing important. She must have imagined that tiny unease.

The ThunderClan cats traveled across the WindClan moors, but never caught site of the other clan. They must have a head start to the island. Leafpool was relieved; this meant she didn't have to struggle in front of her clanmates and his to hide their feelings for each other.

The cats saw the pointed roof of horseplace, and then crested a ridge. They were looking down on the island, connected to the mainland because of a fallen tree, with tiny colorful pelts of the other Clan cats moved across the massive trunk.

Firestar signaled to his clan with his tail, and the clan cats raced down the hillside, gaining speed then slowing to a trot as the reached the tree. ShadowClan had only just crossed it; Leafpool saw Owlpaw take his last unsteady steps then leap off at the other side.

One by One, ThunderClan began to cross. Leafpool tried to see if she could spot Crowfeather's pelt across the small stretch of lake water, but the task was useless.

It was her turn, and leaped onto the branch and elegantly across. She hoped Crowfeather was watching.

Landing on the other side, she glanced around again for Crowfeather.

"Move it, will you?" Jaypaw's cross meow sounded from behind her. She gave him a disapproving glance and padded away from the tree trunk, eyes darting around the clearing. She finally spotted The WindClan tom, sitting on the roots of the tree the leaders spoke from, talking to Brambleclaw. The tabby ThunderClan deputy had a mild look of surprise on his face; Leafpool guessed that was due to the attention received from the prickly black tom. She was panged to remember that Crowfeather hadn't kept his friends from the voyage to sun-drown place on good terms.

Leafpool sat with the rest of the medicine cats, figuring it would seem too suspicious to talk to Crowfeather with Brambleclaw present. Oddly enough, the gray-black warrior hadn't moved from his spot on the roots, though he had turned away from Brambleclaw.

She found Jaypaw, Kestrelpaw, and Willowpaw chatting warmly in a clump of ferns, while Littlecloud and Mothwing discussed medicinal herbs. Barkface smiled and flicked his tail as Leafpool padded near, though the tabby medicine cat noticed that his smile seemed quit distraught. She decided to ask him nothing about it; if she needed to know, he would tell her.

She sat next to him and chatted with him, eventually getting to the subject of the ShadowClan attack when he asked how her clan was. Littlecloud, who had apparently overheard, put in, "I was mortified when I learned of the threat he placed on Tawnypelt and Applefur. Two such healthy warriors, and one a Queen!" He shook his head and, lowering his voice, mewed, "I shudder to think of what he'll do to Tawnypelt's kits. They're half-clan."

Mothflight gasped and Leafpool meowed in indignation, "He wouldn't _really_ harm ShadowClan kits, would he? I mean, he's not like Tigerstar."

"But he _was_ Tigerstar's Deputy, remember? He could have inherited some of Tigerstar's traits."

The other medicine cats were interrupted by a low mumble coming from Mothflight. "Speaking of _inheriting_ Tigerstar's traits…"

Leafpool gaped in shock at her honey-colored friend then draped her tail over Mothflight's shoulder. "We didn't mean anything to offend you. You're noting like your f- Tigerstar."

The medicine cats slowly began talking again, of more easy subjects. But Leafpool wasn't paying attention. She had her eyes trained on Jaypaw, who had pricked his ears and listened to their talk of Tigerstar. Leafpool sensed a hint of disbelief in his deep blue eyes, and wondered what he could be thinking. Again, she shrugged it off as imagination.

Blackstar called the gathering to order, and Leafpool listened with sharp ears as Leopardstar began to speak. The RiverClan cat spoke only of twolegs receding from the Green-leaf Twolegplace as the days grew chiller. Leaf-bare was coming. Also, she spoke of a new apprentice, Fishpaw, and a litter of kits born. The other cats meowed approval and congratulations, but Leafpool noticed that some of WindClan's purrs sounded forced.

Leopardstar stepped back on the branch, and Onestar stepped into her place, looking somber. "We have suffered a tragic loss in our clan, a quarter-moon ago exactly.

A quarter-moon. That was the last time Leafpool had met in secret with Crowfeather. She wondered what had happened?

Just then, her sharp eyes raced again to the tree roots. Crowfeather had still not moved. Ashfoot was absent from her usual place beside the other deputies. _But that could only mean-_

"Our deputy, Ashfoot, was killed by a fox on patrol. I have appointed Crowfeather as Deputy of WindClan in his mother's place."

The world seemed to spin around Leafpool, and the corners of her vision grew blurry and dark.


	16. Waking Up

"Leafpool…Leafpool, come back…"

The medicine cat blinked her eyes open, looking around. The corners of her vision were laced with pulsing, dark webs. Three feline, worried faces leaned over her, and a low murmur sounding like rushing water filled her ears.

"Leafpool!" a tiny gray-blue face pushed into view, blue eyes glazed over.

"Her eyes are open. I think she's coming around." a familiar, languid voice assured. The pitch of the murmur around her changed, becoming more relieved and at ease.

"Well, Firestar, I'll take my clan home, now that we're sure your medicine cat is fine." responded a voice. It sounded almost regretful- like whoever the cat was wouldn't have minded so much if ThunderClan's medicine cat _hadn't _been fine.

"Thank you for waiting, Blackstar," Firestar asserted in a curt meow.

Leafpool rolled over, uncomfortable with her belly exposed to these clan cats. Her vision wobbled for a moment, before she blinked, clearing her head.

"Are you okay, Leafpool?" meowed Squirrelflight.

"Fine, fine," she mumbled, standing. The tabby she-cat could hear the sounds of paws on leaves as ShadowClan left, following Blackstar across the tree bridge. Leafpool's eyes swept across the clearing, knowing it wouldn't be long before the other clans took this as their chance to get back to camp.

Crowfeather's gray-black pelt was nearly invisible in the shadows of the giant tree standing in the clearing; poised in the exact same spot she had last seen him, on the roots. His muscles were tensed and strained beneath his short pelt, and his eyes darted around the clearing fervently before finally resting on her. They were filled with worry, uncertainty-pain. The pain in his eyes cut though Leafpool's chest like a sharpened claw.

Her Clanmates began gathering together, murmuring about getting back to camp now that Leafpool had woken from her faint. None of the cats were easy, knowing ShadowClan was gone and their camps lay vulnerable. No cat noticed as Leafpool darted across the clearing, weaving among cats of three separate clans. No RiverClan cat noticed the lean tabby she-cat, so much like their own clan mates, weave between them as she reached the great tree's roots and brushed her tail across the WindClan deputy's flank, receding deeper into the shadows of the clearing.

Crowfeather started out of his locked position, his joints popping as if they had been locked in place like that for minutes. How long had she been out? Leafpool glanced up at the sky and saw the full moon declining from the sky, an edge of greenish light painting the eastern horizon.

The gray-black tom joined Leafpool in her shadowy recluse, eyes downcast. "Leafpool…" His tone was filled with longing as he said her name. Forbidden longing.

"Why, Crowfeather? How could this…" Leafpool's throat closed, she swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat, suppressing the need to wail out in grief. She knew what this meant for their relationship; how could Crowfeather be with her when he now had a responsibility to his clan almost as strong as hers? He was a loyal cat. How could he bear to see her when his clan depended on his complete loyalty to uphold the warrior code?

"I'm sorry Leafpool. I don't know what I can do to make this work…" His eyes looked tortured, his fur dull, as if he had been in this state for days. Leafpool realized with a jolt that his mother had died; she instantly felt guilty for thinking only of herself. If her pain was bad, then surely his must be unendurable…

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Crowfeather…" Leafpool's voice was thick as she whispered in Crowfeather's ear. "I would say the duties to your clan will keep the pain away, but…I know that doesn't work." She turned away, ears flattened and tail drooping.

"Leafpool, wait," Crowfeather mewed, his voice edged with panic. His muzzle touched Leafpool's ear tip lightly. The she-cat topped in her tracks, pelt rippling from his touch.

"Please…" he murmured, "don't you leave me too. I will always love you Leafpool, and though it may be harder to see you now that I am deputy…I'm not willing to give you up."

Joy, coursing like boiling water through her veins, filled Leafpool from nose to tail-tip. He loved her. He would keep seeing her, as long as they could. She turned to face him again, and his blue eyes were fierce as they stared into her amber ones.

"We _will_ find a way to make this work, Leafpool. Either that, or…or we'll run away again." Leafpool could hear the pain, the sacrifice in his voice as he made the promise, but knew at the same time that he would keep it.

"WindClan! Come on!"

"ThunderClan, follow me…"

The two cats stared into each other's eyes. Leafpool took a step forward, touching her muzzle to his, then turned and slipped away after her clan. No trace of the pulsing black webs in her vision was left; the world looked as clear as if a film had been stripped away. As if she had been blind and now could see…

Because she knew, at last, exactly how much Crowfeather would give up being with her, and how much she was willing sacrifice to love him.

_**I know I have not updated in eons. Nearly a year. I got bored with this story. But a certain fan (coughfeathercloud13cough) POLITELY reminded me that I had left them off to a very uncomfortable point to be left off in the story. So I will add another chapter. How quickly I update though, I cannot promise. That depends on how many reviews I get :)**__** You may notice that the story seems to be taking a different course then may have been evident in previous chapters. I have a new idea for the direction of this story, if it even continues…so don't try to catch me on hints I've dropped in previous chapters, because they may no longer apply. And I know, more Warriors books have come out since I started writing this, so this will be my take on the story from The Sight, if it had gone a different direction.**_


	17. Decisions

"Ow! Oh great StarClan, it hurts, it hurts!"

The caterwauling screech resounded through the rocky clearing, turning the heads of several ThunderClan cats. Dustpelt chuckled darkly from his spot by the warriors den. "I bet that'll teach you to stay away from those bramble bushes, right Lionpaw?"

The golden-furred apprentice skulked, his tail flicking back and forth irritably. "You got that right."

Leafpool mrrrowed in amusement, the sound muffled by the curved, blood-stained bramble clenched in her tiny teeth. "Surely Ashfur mentioned that the brambles hurt when you try to squeeze past them?"

The apprentice's ears flattened in embarrassment. "I probably wasn't listening…"

Leafpool shook her head, exasperated, as she pulled the last bramble from behind Lionpaw's ear, ignoring the cringing wince her sister's son responded with. "Well, now you should know to listen to your mentor. You won't become a warrior if you don't learn any discipline."

"Yeah, yeah…thanks Leafpool." Lionpaw ducked away quickly to escape further pestering.

Leafpool sighed and glanced up at the sky; the moon was just rising, a perfect half-circle. _Time to go find Jaypaw…_ The medicine cat padded to her den, peeking inside to see her small, fluffy apprentice sorting through herbs, letting his paws and nose guide him rather then his sightless eyes.

"Hello Leafpool," he mewed quietly without turning. A tiny shiver coursed down Leafpool's spine. There was always something eerie about the way Jaypaw _knew_ when she entered the den and left it.

"We will be leaving soon, if we're going to meet Littlecloud by the lake. You should eat something first." the tabby she-cat advised. She wondered briefly why no apprentice had brought them prey today, but at that moment Poppypaw trotted in and dropped a plump mouse, dipping her head to Leafpool and Jaypaw as she backed out of the dark den.

Jaypaw finished with the herbs and trotted over to the prey. Leaning over, he took a bite out of its flank. Leafpool crouched beside him, taking a piece for herself, and wondering why Jaypaw seemed so unnaturally quite tonight. He couldn't know…unless he had used his eerie power of walking other cat's dreams to trespass in hers. Had he finally decided he'd had enough of her secrets? The thought sent a chill down her spine. Jaypaw glanced up at her strangely, and Leafpool remembered that, with his heightened senses, emotions were easily interpreted by him. She forced her thoughts into a calmer state of mind, licking traces of the fresh mouse from her muzzle. "Come on, Jaypaw."

They stood and exited camp, several of the warriors flicking their tails in good bye as they departed. Jaypaw kept up the silence as they trotted through the forest towards the lake. Leafpool had agreed to travel with Littlecloud through most of their territory, since the ThunderClan cats were still prickly after the battle between their clans.

Leafpool spotted the small, black and white tom padding leisurely along the lake edge, apparently deep in thought. She sped up, reaching the ShadowClan medicine cat's side in moments and brushed her tail across his flank in a friendly greeting. "Littlecloud! I hope all is well in ShadowClan?"

Jaypaw snorted behind her; she tried to ignore it.

"Yes, quite well. And ThunderClan?" the tom responded.

"We're very healthy. The last traces of leaf-bare were gone a moon ago, and we're looking forward to a nice Green-leaf."

Littlecloud started questioning Jaypaw about his training, Leafpool let her thoughts drift, pelt prickling along her spine as she thought about the possibility of seeing Crowfeather. She had seen him a quarter moon ago, but already she yearned to be with him again…

_The tabby she-cat's paws took her swiftly through the dimly lit forest, the moon a lumpy shape in the sky above. Her heart quickened as the moon light danced off the stream ahead, the wind bringing the scent of WindClan and, more specifically, Crowfeather, to her nose. He was so close…as she darted across the stepping stones, his dark outline had appeared, blue eyes shining fiercely. He knew what he wanted, and tonight would be the night…They brushed muzzles and intertwined their tails, purring as they sank to the forest floor._

"_Leafpool…come away with me." his voice was soft and pleading._

"_Yes. I will."_

"_Are you sure your clan isn't more important?"_

_Leafpool leaned her head over and licked Crowfeather's cheek softly. "My clan doesn't need me. And nothing is more important then you now."_

"Leafpool? Hey, slow down!" Littlecloud's voice brought her back to the present, and she realized she had sped up her pace unconsciously as she had let her thoughts drift back to that last night. Trying to cover up her embarrassment, she turned and meowed briskly, "Come on, the moon has nearly risen!"

Jaypaw and Littlecloud hurried to catch up, and they crossed into WindClan territory, keeping close to the border. They gained more distance across the moor, as the wind pushed from behind them. Ahead of them, the outlines of three cats were visible. Leafpool could see the smaller shapes of Willowpaw and Kestrelpaw and the bigger, bulky shape of Barkface.

They reached them and Leafpool called out worriedly, "Where's Mothwing?"

Willowpaw flicked her tail, standing. "Minnowpelt got a burr tangled in her fur- you've seen how soft it is- and Mothwing decided to stay back and help her get it out rather then leave her to sleep on it all night."

Leafpool nodded and started forward briskly, but she could sense Littlecloud and Jaypaw shifting uneasily. A burr in a warrior's coat? It was a petty excuse to miss a medicine cat gathering, and Mothwing should realize that. Leafpool wondered despairingly what her friend would do if Leafpool chose to leave her clan mates for good…would Willowpaw be able to look after her well enough to keep the secret?

Leafpool shook these doubts off as they reached the rocky path up to the Moonpool, letting her paws slip into the paw print dimples in the rocks. Mothwing was a good friend, but not her responsibility.

They reached the shining pool as the half-moon reached the exact center point of the sky. As the medicine cats gathered around the shining pool, Leafpool raised her voice. Though she tried to sound bold, she had no idea how to do this.

"Before we dream, there is a ceremony I would like to perform," she meowed. Jaypaw's ears flickered forward in surprise; he hadn't seen this coming. Leafpool had considered this for a moon, however, and she knew that _she_ wanted to be the one to perform Jaypaw's ceremony. Firestar might delay it like he had Brambleclaw's, in hopes that his daughter was still alive somewhere. Jaypaw was ready to take on all the responsibilities she had been cursed and privileged with throughout the many moons of her life; the responsibilities she was about to give up for good.

"Jaypaw, you have trained beneath my guidance for moons now, and display an aptitude for herbs as well as interpreting prophecies that I've never seen before. You have become as skilled as I in the short moons of your apprenticeship. I ask StarClan tonight to accept Jaypaw into their ranks as Medicine Cat of ThunderClan."

The other Medicine Cat's eyes were wide and somewhat confused. Willowpaw's eyes were downcast, and Leafpool wondered if Mothwing would ever be able to give Willowpaw the ceremony she deserved.

A tiny, blue feather floated through the air on a sudden gust of wind, fluttering above the cat's ears and landing in the pool at their paws, distorting the image of the moon in a ripple. Leafpool smiled proudly, and then sympathetically, realizing Jaypaw couldn't have seen the sign. She flicked her tail above his ears and murmured, "StarClan have accepted you, Jaypaw. From this moment on, you will be known as Jayfeather."

"Jayfeather! Jayfeather!" chanted the medicine cats softly. They looked proudly upon the new medicine cat, and the small cat's shoulders lifted.

"Dream _your_ dreams now, Jayfeather."

A flick of Jayfeather's tail let her know that he had noticed the emphasis in her words. Leafpool didn't want her former apprentice near her dreams tonight, if StarClan knew what she was planning.

The cats simultaneously dipped their heads, touching their noses to the cold starshine flavored water.

Leafpool blinked, and when her eyes reopened, her setting was different. She stood behind a waterfall, and as she looked around, she recognized a cave and mountainous peaks. She was in the home of the Tribe of Rushing Water.

"Leafpool," murmured a soft voice, like water itself, but more like a stream then the waterfall that pounded beside Leafpool.

The tabby she-cat turned, knowing which StarClan warrior would be visiting her before she turned. "Feathertail."

The silver tabby stood beside the spot where her grave sat, the same spot Leafpool had watched Crowfeather mourn his lost love so many moons ago, on the great journey. "I have seen what you plan to do, Leafpool. I have come to caution you-"

"No, Feathertail," Leafpool cut her off sharply, "I won't let you talk me out of this. Crowfeather is my life now. I won't make the same mistakes I made before."

The StarClan cat's blue eyes glimmered. "But Leafpool, you aren't the only one that has a duty to your Clan. Crowfeather could be leader!" Feathertail's eyes were wistful with the thought of it. "Would you really take that chance from him?"

Leafpool shrunk from the idea. She knew their relationship wouldn't last if Crowfeather became leader. The guilt would tear him up. "Crowfeather's never been an ambitious cat. He's helped his Clan enough. It seems like it's _his_ turn to have some happiness. _Our_ turn."

Feathertail's eyes were gentle. "I know it must be hard for you but-"

"_No,_ Feathertail. You might have not loved him enough to leave for him, but I do. We have both sacrificed enough for our Clan's. It's time for us to put that part of our life behind us."

The silver tabby backed away as if Leafpool had lashed out at her with her claws. She started fading rapidly, and Leafpool was left in the darkness.

Shapes began to form again; a peaceful clearing, with trees surrounding it in a dense forest, as thick as the ThunderClan territory in the Old Forest. Spottedleaf emerged from between the trees, and padded up to face Leafpool. The two she-cats, old friends, stared at each other sadly.

"I have to do this, Spottedleaf. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to…to end up like you."

The tortoiseshell's amber eyes flashed with pain, but she nodded. "I understand, Leafpool. Perhaps, if I had been given a second chance, like your mentor Cinderpelt, I would have done things differently than in my first life. You followed your heart, and that's what matters."

Leafpool nodded, remembering how, impossibly, Cinderpelt had come back to life in the shape of Sorreltail's kit, Cinderkit. She cringed as the thought came to her; if her mother died, maybe Cinderpelt would finally get her chance with Firestar.

"You won't be able to walk my dreams any more, will you?" Leafpool murmured sadly. She would miss Spottedleaf's guidance more then most cats in her clan.

"No, we won't. I…will stay with the clans, and watch after Firestar." Spottedleaf answered.

This was another reason Leafpool had resolved to leave. She knew, even when they reached StarClan, she and Crowfeather would not be allowed to be together if they remained with the Clans. Spottedleaf was still bound to her duties, even though there were no wounds to heal. "Watch over the living clans" was her duty now, and that still required you to be mate-less.

The two cats touched noses one last time and Leafpool's surroundings began to fade. Her eyes opened slowly, and she saw the rest of the medicine cats waking as well. Jayfeather sat up, his blind eyes staring into the pool, his tail flicking excitedly. Leafpool wondered briefly what he had dreamed about, but shrugged and stood.

"Come on, Jayfeather, we shoulder head back to the Clan and tell them about your ceremony-if those lazy badgers are still awake!" Leafpool joked. The other medicine cats purred in amusement and said their good byes as they reached the bottom of the Moonpool path, heading in separate directions. Leafpool's heart raced as she saw the nearly invisible silhouette of Crowfeather on the moors. She had a few things to do at camp, however, and walked silently with Jayfeather to the entrance.

'Jayfeather…" Leafpool paused before they entered the camp, knowing this would be the last time to say good bye to him alone. What could she say to this cat that had proved such a faithful companion to her, which she had grown so attached to?"

"I know, Leafpool. You're leaving with Crowfeather, aren't you?" He murmured softly, his unseeing eyes staring straight ahead.

Leafpool swallowed and nodded. 'It is where my heart lies."

Jayfeather hesitantly reaches out with his tail and stroked it across Leafpool's cheek in an intimate gesture. "Good-bye then, Leafpool. I will take good care of our clan mates for you."

"Thank you…" Leafpool mewed hoarsely. The two medicine cats walked through the entrance side by side, and nearly ran into Mousewhisker and Poppypaw guarding the camp entrance.

"Oh! Leafpool, Jaypaw…"

"It's Jay_feather_ now, actually." Jayfeather meowed smugly.

"Congratulations!" Poppypaw cried. Several cats poked their heads from the warrior and apprentice dens, hearing the news and padding forward to congratulate Jayfeather. Leafpool slipped to the back of the crowd, looking around at all her friends and clan mates, the ones she would miss dearly, but was still willing to give up to be with Crowfeather. Seeing that one cat in particular was missing from the clearing, she slipped to the nursery.

Sorreltail lifted her head as Leafpool came in, blinking. "Leafpool?"

Leafpool padded over and licked her friend on the head. "Just wanted to say Good-night, Sorreltail. And to thank you for being a great friend when I needed it most." hoping she hadn't said too much, she padded out quickly and found her parents sitting together by her father's den. She licked them each on the cheek, to their surprise. "Good night, Firestar, Sandstorm. I love you." She padded away from them, a part of her heart wrenching as her parents stared after her, dumbfounded.

Next was the hardest good bye yet. Though she and Squirrelflight had grown apart over the years, the bond between the two sisters would never be broken.

"Squirrelflight? Can I talk to you for a minute?" The ginger she-cat was covering her son's head in lyrics, but immediately came to her sister's side as she heard the edge in Leafpool's voice. "What is it?"

"I….I just want to say…I love you, Squirrelflight. You'll always be my sister, and I'll always remember you, no matter what." A note of desperation had entered Leafpool's meow, and she shook her head to clear her throat.

Squirrelflight's mew was quite and hesitant. "Leafpool? Are you…going somewhere?"

"…No." Leafpool answered.

"Liar."

"Yes."

The two sisters stared at each other, and then touched noses. Leafpool turned and slipped through the entrance, unnoticed by her clan-mates, but she could see an image of herself walking away, reflected in her sister's vision. She knew that image would stay with her sister for as long as she lived.

**_I decided to post this faster then i wanted to, because its been so long and chapter 16 was so short. So review both chapters, seperately! :D Well, this chapter was quite depressing to write. I love the tension between Feathertail and Leafpool though. About time she told her to back off! Crowfeather's found someone better . no offense to all those featherxcrow shippers out there though...tell me what you think! Oh, and...tell me if you think it should be rated T after this chapter. I dont like rating anything high, and I dont think younger readers will understand but..._**


	18. Destiny

Leafpool's paws flew through the forest, barely seeming to touch the ground. Her entire frame was shaking with silent sobs that threatened to transform into sound with every heart beat. The memories of the first time she chose to run away with Crowfeather, so many moons ago, stung like a thorn in her side. The disastrous consequences of that choice shoved their way into her mind, screaming for her to stop this madness, to turn around and go back to the safety and comfort of ThunderClan's camp...

_No!_ She thought fiercely, _I won't give into that. Nothing can stop me from being with him now. If something happens to the Clan…well, they aren't my clan anymore. Crowfeather is my Clan. My all. _

The idea of a clan exclusively with Crowfeather made her smile. The thought was a peaceful one. She closed her eyes and thought of more things she and Crowfeather would do together, slowing down and traveling the forest the way Jayfeather does, using her paws and whiskers instead of her eyes.

She opened her eyes when she heard the stream ahead, her paws moving faster. Skidding to a halt by the stream edge, she parted her jaws to smell better. The scent of rabbit and moorland grass hit her, along with a scent far sweeter, like honeysuckle and clover. Crowfeather peered through the brush on the other side of the stream, eyes glowing.

"Leafpool!" he called. Leafpool bounded across the stream to meet him, pushing her muzzle into his chest. Their tails twined for a moment, and then they each took a step back to stare at each other. Crowfeather's eyes were pained, though not nearly as much as Leafpool's. He only had Breezepaw left in WindClan. Leafpool had friends, family, and a calling that tied her to the clan. A frown appeared on Crowfeather's features.

"Leafpool, you don't have to do this for me…I see how much it hurts you." his voice sounded tortured.

Leafpool flicked her tail over his muzzle, silencing him. "Yes, it hurts me; but I know who I don't want to live without. I have served my clan faithfully for moons. StarClan have shaped our every paw step with their guidance, more so then any other pair of cats. It's our turn to choose our own destiny."

Crowfeather nodded slowly, brushing against Leafpool's side. "Then let's go."

He turned and sprinted through the trees to the moorland beyond, Leafpool following close behind. Exhilarating adrenaline coursed through her veins, lending her paws speed and air. This was it. Soon, they would be out of clan territory and leaving their messy pasts behind for good. StarClan wouldn't force them into anything anymore. They would be completely alone, in their dreams and in the waking world.

Their paws carried them across the moorland quickly, faster then any rabbit or warrior. Crowfeather leapt upwards in joy, his paw steps carrying him high. Leafpool purred in amusement, running to catch up. She pushed his flank with her nose and the pair tumbled into a heap on the ground, growling and purring playfully. The ecstasy in the air was tangible as they purred and got up, continuing forward, pelts brushing. The moon had nearly set and the sky ahead of them was growing pink as the sun made an appearance. Leafpool barely noticed when they crossed WindClan's faint scent marking the end of their territory, but Crowfeather did, and he stopped. Leafpool turned to look back at him, her paws itching to keep running.

He was staring at the ground where the scent markers lay, tail twitching. He looked up at Leafpool, his eyes bright. "This is it. From now on we will be out of Clan territory, a Clan of our own."

Leafpool was delighted that he had thought of the idea too, and a purr rumbled through her throat. "I'm ready."

They began running again, running away from the clans, and towards their destiny;

which was, finally, their own to decide.

Leafpool curled into a ball, frowning in her sleep as she noticed something. Or, more like the _absence_ of something. Blinking her eyes open, she realized what was wrong.

Crowfeather had left the spot he had curled up in last night, next to her. Sitting up quickly, she looked around in a moments panic, but was quickly relieved as she saw the dark warrior sprinting across the moorlands that extended far past WindClan territory, chasing a rabbit and quickly gaining on it. Leafpool watched in jealous admiration as he leapt and took out the rabbit, straightening and padding back towards their make-shift den beneath the holly bush. She never would have been fast enough to catch that rabbit. _Maybe Crowfeather can teach me…_

She stretched as Crowfeather reached the den and poked his head through a gap, looking up at her. "I just caught a rabbit. Want to come outside and eat?" His voice had a loving caress in his tone; and his bright blue eyes watched every expression on Leafpool's tabby face minutely.

She purred, "I would like that very much," at the same time that her belly let loose a loud growl.

Crowfeather mrrrowed in amusement. "I can tell." He ducked out of the den again, and Leafpool scrambled after him, embarrassed. The sun shone down brightly, warming her pelt. She shook the leaves of their nest from her smooth tabby fur, then crouched and took a bite of the moorland rabbit. It felt stringier then the forest rabbits she used to hunt in ThunderClan, but still plump and tasty. Crowfeather crouched beside her and ate too, his pelt brushing hers.

They finished eating quietly, and Leafpool buried the remains of their fresh-kill in the soft ground.

"Where to today?" Crowfeather spoke up. The pair had been traveling farther and farther from the Clan territory for three days, and Leafpool insisted on continuing in hope that the open moors would come to an end soon, though Crowfeather would have been pleased if they had continued forever. Maybe if she just didn't feel so useless here...

"I think some forest is over there. Let's go that way." She answered, flicking her tail eastward. A dark smudge was visible on the horizon.

"Great. Forest." Crowfeather grimaced. His mate purred in amusement and flicked her tail across his nose.

"Come on! Maybe you can teach me to catch these stringy rabbits on the way there!"

The gray-black tom growled playfully. "What do you mean stringy? These rabbits are far tastier then the ones I hunted in WindClan!"

Leafpool laughed. "I fell sorry for WindClan! Once we reach the forest, I'll show you what _real _fresh-kill tastes like."

The two cats padded swiftly across the moors. Crowfeather showed her how to move her legs to make her stride longer, and Leafpool was thrilled to see that she could almost keep up with Crowfeather now.

That night, when their paws were too weary to take another step, they made camp on the roots of a short, stunted tree, the only one visible on the moorland besides the forest ahead. Leafpool could definitely tell it was a forest now; the outlines of birch and oak trees had become more defined and she waited in anticipation to be under the cover of leaves again.

Crowfeather curled up around Leafpool, licking her ears. As her eyes closed and her mind drifted, Leafpool had one last waking thought;

_How could life become more perfect?_

Leafpool jerked awake as a weight suddenly fell on her, pressing her side against the ground. she looked around confusedly, the thick crescent moon shedding little light on her surroundings. Opening her jaws to taste the scent in the air, she realized Crowfeather was the weight on top of her.

"Crowfeather?" she mewed in confusion. "What are you-"

"Shhh," he hissed "Stay _very_ quiet."

Leafpool opened her jaws wider, bewildered. Now she realized they were not alone. The scents of several strange cats, tom and she-cat, washed over her scent glands. The smell was sharp and sour, reminding her slightly of ShadowClan and the Tribe.

"You are trespassing on our territory," A low, guttural voice growled. Leafpool's ears twitched at the strange accent, unlike anything she had herd before, and Crowfeather tensed above her. Crowfeather's forepaws were braced on the ground in front of her, and she saw his claws slide out and sink into the ground.

"Really? Where are your scent markers, mouse-brain?" He hissed. Leafpool groaned internally. Why did this brave, fast, tom she loved have to be such a pricklepuss?

She heard the strangers around her shift. "We have no need for them. No other cats occupy this area."

Crowfeather snorted. "Except for us."

"Yes," The stranger's voice growled. "Except for you…"

Leafpool's blood ran cold as she saw the glimmer of moonlight on claws as, one by one, the stranger's claws unsheathed.

**_Muahahaha. My cliffies strike again. I want more reviews this time! Or I may feel disinclined to update...so get at it! I could have ended this story with the last chapter, but I can totally invision Leafpool and Crowfeather's adventures when they leave the Clans, and I want you to see it too. I'm very pleased with this chapter for one main reason; it shows Leafpool and Crowfeather's true characters. I think some of that has been getting lost as they get older, like Firestar, Greystripe, and Sandstorm, so I'm bringing it back. plus i love my new made-up insult; picklepuss. it describes Crowfeather perfectly! haha...anyways. review._**


	19. Savior

Leafpool's heart beat quickly in her chest, and she let out a gasp. The stranger's leader, as she assumed the speaking tom was, turned his head in her direction, noticing the tabby she-cat for the first time.

"Who is that?" he meowed curiously in his guttural voice.

Crowfeather hissed and shifted, covering my face. "Stay away from her, fox-dung."

The other cats hissed. "Let's kill them, Stripes! That tom has insulted you quite enough!"

Crowfeather yowled in rage, his voice cracking in fear at the end. "You won't touch her! I won't let you!"

The strangers' mrrrowed in amusement, a low, threatening sound. A shiver coursed down Leafpool's spine, and Crowfeather swept his tail across her flank as he felt her shivering.

The leader's voice was hard and low as he spoke once more, "Kill the she-cat first."

A cat, one of the strangers Leafpool couldn't see, hissed and leapt. With a caterwauling screech, Crowfeather rose on his hind paws and slammed his forepaws into the cat's chest, slamming her backwards and into the ground.

There was silence for a heartbeat, and then chaos broke loose through the dark night. Another of the strangers attacked, and Crowfeather lunged with his teeth, grabbing the tom's scuffs and throwing him into one if his companions, all the while keeping his long WindClan legs spread around Leafpool as a barrier and his belly pressed against her side in a crouch. At some point, teeth closed on Crowfeather's leg close to her face, and it snapped with a sickening crunch. Leafpool's stomach clenched and she thought she would lose her last meal.

The tabby she-cat kept attempting to reach out with her claws to fight against their attackers, but she only drew blood once. _Why won't he let me fight?_

Suddenly, Crowfeather's weight vanished from her side. She looked up in horror, seeing him pinned against the ground, one of the strange she-cat's paws braced against his neck. His blue eyes spun wildly, watching his mate fearfully.

"Finally."

The guttural sound had Leafpool paralyzed in fear. Before she could regain use of her limbs, the leader leapt on top of her, pinning his paws against her flank and stomach. Her eyes bulged and she gagged as the breath was knocked out of her, his other paw crushing against her ribs. The former medicine cat knew, through her long years of training, exactly which ribs would puncture her lungs and kill her were they to snap…

"No! Leafp-" Crowfeather's screech was cut off as the she-cat squeezed her paw against his neck. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his struggling body went limp.

"Is he dead?" One of the toms asked. Leafpool jerked, her amber eyes filling with dread and her heart rate picking up.

"No," replied the gruff voice of the she-cat as she stepped off and swiveled her ear towards his chest, "just unconscious."

Leafpool couldn't sigh in relief. Her lungs were being crushed.

"Fox dung," sighed the leader, "I wanted him to be awake while we killed his precious little she-cat."

Leafpool let out a strangled whimper, staring at her beloved with despairing amber eyes. She tried to part her jaws and take a breath, smell his scent one last time, but she couldn't get a whisper of air through her throat. Slowly, she began to suffocate, the pressure on her stomach and chest too much to bear…she wondered if StarClan would still accept her, after abandoning her duty to her clan for Crowfeather. She _knew_ they would accept him. Who wouldn't accept such a loyal, faithful, brilliant cat into their ranks?

The realization dawned that maybe Feathertail had been right. Crowfeather had never sought after leadership, but he _deserved_ it, more than any cat ever to walk the ways of the Warrior Code ever had. He deserved everything any other cat had ever received.

_He deserves more then me._

As Leafpool's vision dimmed and nearly blackened, she was subconsciously aware of the pressure being released from her chest. A voice, full of authority, floated above her. Coarse, tangled fur brushed against her pelt, and then she floated away from this painful world, into something bigger then herself…

Leafpool looked around, confused. What was this?

She was standing on nothing, yet she wasn't flying…she felt a solid surface beneath her paws, but couldn't see anything. Just a flat, gray-black surface.

Her head whipped up as she caught a scent; a perfect scent, a lovely, scent, _his_ scent…

"Crowfeather?" She breathed, whipping her head around to look for the source of the scent.

"He is not here, Leafpool." The tabby she-cats fur bristled in surprise and frustration as she recognized the stream-like voice, turning and seeing a silver tabby she-cat staring at her desolately.

"Feathertail!" She mewed. "Am I…"  
"Dead? No…though StarClan have no control over your destiny, someone _else_ has decided it is not yet your time," Feathertail answered. She sounded tired, like she had traveled a long way.

Leafpool's fur prickled. She thought _she_ was in charge of her destiny now. "Who, then?"

Feathertail blinked her lovely blue eyes. "Me, of course. I could not sit with StarClan and watch you two leave. I wouldn't be able to bear not knowing what happened to Crowfeather. So I left too."

Leafpool blinked, not comprehending. "You…_left?"_

"Yes…you left the Clans' territory, so why cant I?" the former RiverClan cat answered in annoyance.

Leafpool took a deep breath, staring down at the hauntingly familiar shade of the surface she stood on. Looking up at Feathertail again, she answered in a curt voice, "Crowfeather and I would like to be alone throughout the remainder of our lives, if you don't mind, Feathertail."

The silver she-cat looked away, hurt. "I can't promise to stay away, Leafpool. But I won't watch all the time."

Leafpool knew she couldn't ask for more. "Thank you, Feathertail." she looked around uncomfortably, and blurted out as Crowfeather's distracting scent traveled down her nose again, "Are you sure Crowfeather isn't here?" I'm sure I can smell him."

Feathertail ducked her head, and her tail curled under her. "This is kind of like my…special haven. Different then StarClan. It looks and smells like…what I want most."

Leafpool's hackles prickled in annoyance, nearly rising. She recognized the surface surrounding her now; it was the exact same shade as Crowfeather's fur. "Are you sure this is what you want most, Feathertail?" She spat. "Are you sure _I'm_ not what you want most? Me, dead?"

Feathertail cringed away from Leafpool's anger. "I'm sorry, Leafpool. I cannot help my desires. But at least you know he loves _you_ more."

Leafpool swallowed her retort in her throat as a breeze picked up around her, and she became dizzy as Feathertail, Crowfeather's scent, and the strange surface beneath her paws vanished into nothingness…

**_I suggest you be very, very happy with this chapter. Because it seemed as if the only thing left to do, when i began this chapter, was to have Crowfeather die. I came very close to letting the story take its own path. But, I was stubborn, and I reigned it in at the last minute. I was not going to let my Crowie die. anyways, tell me what you think :)_**


	20. Storytime

Leafpool heard two gruff voices over her, arguing worriedly. Well, one of the voices was worried; prickly, yet sweeter then any honey. The other was placid and deeply bass, grating like claws on tree bark. Leafpool's ear twitched, and the voices halted abruptly.

The tabby she-cat wondered what was wrong with her vision. Nothing but shadowed shapes and a cherry red screen were visible, with some darker veins of pulsing red running like lightning through the red haze. _Is this what Brightheart sees?_

The thought sent a jolt of panic down her spine, lifting every hair on her pelt. _Am I __**blind**__?_

She sat up quickly, and her eyelids flew open. Color and shapes returned to her senses in a dizzying array of rainbows, greens surrounding her, splashes of orange, pink, and yellow around her, but most of all, the spark of unfathomable blue in a set of eyes right before her.

"Oh," she mumbled, "Crowfeather." She realized now what the red screen was. Her eyelids had been closed, and a pillar of sunlight had broken through the treetops above her, bleeding through her lids and making her see red.

Crowfeather pushes his muzzle to her cheek worriedly. Leafpool breathed his scent in deeply. "Leafpool…you're okay."

The former medicine cat blinked. "Of course I am. What about _you?_" Her amber eyes sparkled with worry, remembering the strange she-cat pressing her paw against his throat, choking him…a shiver trickled down her back.

Crowfeather's tail twitched. "I'm great- Purdy got those strange cats off just in time."

Leafpool blinked. _Purdy?_ "What?"

An old, grizzled tabby tom with gray speckling his muzzle peered around Crowfeather, his dark amber eyes wide. "It was no problem. All you have to tell them is that the sheep are moving into their area, and they'll get out of here faster then a cat chased by a dog." The elderly tom looked oddly smug that he had chased the cats off when the two former clan cats couldn't.

Leafpool blinked her amber eyes slowly, looking up at Crowfeather in confusion. The smoky gray tom rolled his eyes. "How were we supposed to know that, Purdy? We haven't been aimlessly wandering these woods for the past million moons."

The old tom sniffed and raised his nose in the air. "It's been considerably less then a million moons, youngster."

Crowfeather rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Can't you just show us where we need to stay away from, if we want to avoid more confrontations?"

Purdy grumbled nearly unintelligibly, "You were always the prickly, impatient one. I liked the silver she-cat much more. Why couldn't _she _have been the one to come back and visit me?"

Crowfeather's pelt bristled and he snapped, "Just tell me what I need to know, and we can leave you!"

Leafpool tilted her head to the side, looking from Crowfeather to Purdy to Crowfeather again. "Silver she-cat? Visit? Sheep? Who _were_ those cats?"

Purdy looked at Leafpool in shock, his eyes widening. Slowly, his graying muzzle lifted into an amused, excited expression, and he purred in his croaking, gravelly voice, "Oh, I can tell you all about them…"

Crowfeather groaned and lay down, putting his head between his paws. Leafpool hesitated, and then took a small step closer to Purdy, trying not to breathe in his unpleasant scent of fleas and old moss. She _was_ interested, though, and she had a nagging suspicion about this "silver she-cat."

"I used to live with my nofurs in a house there yonder," He started, pointing his tail behind him, to another stretch of forest, "but they died long ago. The house has fallen apart; a tree has even begun growing inside of it."

Leafpool's amber eyes widened. _A tree in a two-leg nest?_ She waited impatiently for the old cat to continue.

"So I've ambled about in this forest, and many others, for a few moons now. I've learned of every group of cats around," He meowed proudly. Then his ears flattened. "Except for the strangers in the mountains. No cat but the insane would go there." He sent an awed look at Crowfeather, who snorted softly.

"There's nothing dangerous in the mountains anymore, Purdy. Sharptooth is dead." The former WindClan tom drawled. Leafpool remembered the name _Sharptooth_ from the Clan's journey through the mountains. Feathertail had fallen to her death when she killed it, saving Crowfeather and the Tribe Cats.

"Well, we'll see what happens to the group of cats that attacked you yesterday. That's where they were headed after I scared them off; said that the sheep would never follow them _there."_ Purdy muttered, his ears pricking up a bit. "Anyways, one day a group of young cats from the 'Four Clans,' as they called themselves, stumbled upon me and asked for my assistance in leading them through the Nofur's city." His voice took on a hint of pride at this. "I'm the only cat that knows the way through it."

Crowfeather snorted behind Leafpool.

"There was a big, tabby tom, obviously the leader," Crowfeather let out a small hiss at this, but Purdy continued, pretending he hadn't heard. _Maybe he didn't,_ Leafpool wondered, _after all, he does seem pretty old._

"A tortoiseshell she-cat, a ginger she-cat, and a silver she-cat," Purdy meowed, "and _this_ prickly young hedgehog." He gestured with his tail-tip to Crowfeather.

Leafpool shifted into a more comfortable position; Crowfeather hadn't talked too much about the great journey, and she was interested to hear more about it.

"Well, they kept talking nonsense about "two-leg monsters" and "sun-drown place" and "saltwater signs," but I had met nuts even crazier then that. So I took them through the city, to where they were looking for. The talking badger told them to go through the mountains, and even though I _warned_ them, they recklessly took her advice. Young cats," he snorted, shaking his head. "They never think through anything."

Leafpool's pelt prickled at this. _I'm young. Do I think my decisions through?_ Her gaze shifted to Crowfeather, then back to Purdy quickly as she realized he was looking at her too.

"Well, that's the last I saw of the cats until they brought their Clans here, but I decided not to interfere with that. Too many desperate, hostile-looking cats,"

Leafpool thought about his words for a moment, and then meowed patiently, "What about those cats yesterday? Why are they scared of…sheep?" She had heard the word only once before, on the great journey. The fluffy, stinking clouds with legs had kind of scared her too, but she wasn't as terrified of them as Purdy said the strangers had been.

"Bad experiences. Stripes' Pack was made up of cocky, strong cats, but once long ago they tried to chase sheep out of a field to claim territory. It didn't go well; sheep are stupid, and can't see past their strange, fluffy pelts. So when they felt the cats on them they panicked and started running in circles. Three cats, including Marley's mate, were killed by their sharp hooves. He's been terrified of them since, and will run if any cat _mentions _seeing them near his territory."

Leafpool shuddered, remembering mentally to stay away from sheep. She'd hate to suffer that same fate.

"Well," interjected Crowfeather before Purdy could get in another word, "now that we're done with story time, could you tell us where to go to stay away from other cats?"

The old tabby tom yawned hugely and looked around. "Well, that's a pretty hard question. Cats are everywhere. But if you head in a general…" He spun his tail around, before flicking it towards the direction the sun raises, "…that way direction, then you should steer pretty clear of cats you don't want to meet."

Crowfeather nodded impatiently. "Finally. Thank-you."

Leafpool stretched and stood. She held her breath as she stepped forward to touch noses with Purdy. "Thank you for your stories, and your assistance. May…your ancestors guide your path."

The elderly tom turned and shook his head, muttering, "Crazy clan cats. All the same…"

Leafpool twitched her whiskers in a frown, then turned and padded up to Crowfeather's side. It felt wonderfully reassuring to have his pelt against hers, after the day of separation. Even though she had been unconscious for most of it, she realized how much the absence had bothered her.

"Where to?" He murmured as they padded away from the old tabby tom, pelts brushing each other with every other step.

Leafpool blinked in confusion. "Aren't we going where Purdy said to go?"

Her mate snorted. "Only if _you_ want to. I'm not sure I trust his judgment. That time he 'led' us through two-leg place? We were wandering there for days, and almost starved. He's had one fall from a tree too many."

Leafpool purred in amusement, licking Crowfeather's ear affectionately. A thrill went through her muzzle at the familiar gesture. "I have a good feeling about this. Let's go."

And the two padded onwards, with each other again, therefore, once again perfectly happy and in control of their own destinies.

_**Yes, I took forever to update, and I'm sorry. It was my birthday on Monday, and my party on Saturday…anyways, a very busy weekend, and basically no inspiration. But I think I've made up for it quite well with this chapter-I absolutely love Purdy. I might want to make a fanfiction about him someday. What do you think? Oh, and I know that if this is the same group of cats that invaded the Tribe's territory in Outcast (and it is) then they would be going at the wrong time, because Stormfur and Brook are already back with the Clans. But I just wanted to put a reason as to why they might have gone there, to that barren prey-scarce territory. Hope you think it was inventive :)**_

_**Also, I waited so long because I was not getting a whole lot of reviews. Review a lot, and this next chapter will be up sooner. And don't forget to vote on my Poll, so I can decide who's story to start writing!**_


	21. Holding Me Up

_**Warning: Before you read this chapter, you should know that I have changed the rating to T for this. There is a bit of 'horror' or gore, and even though its not that bad, if you don't want to risk it then just PM me asking for a summary of this chapter. The rest of the story will be clean.**_

"Wait a minute, Crowfeather." Leafpool panted, sitting on a soft patch of grass, doubled over. She licked her stomach, ears flicking worriedly. It had giving her a lot of pain for the past few days, as they had traveled the direction Purdy had given them. She wondered if the stranger's leader, Stripes, had harmed her more then she thought when he pressed his paws into her stomach.

Crowfeather stopped and padded back to stand beside his mate, touching his nose to her ear-tip worriedly. "Maybe we should rest today. We've covered a lot of land."

Leafpool purred, stuttering, and nodded. "Yeah, just a quick rest…" She curled up on the patch of grass, not willing to walk another paw step with the sharp pain shooting through her side. Crowfeather stretched out close to her, and she fell asleep to the sound of his steady heartbeat...

She awoke as a sharp pain, worse then in the past few days, shot through her stomach. She felt a wetness creeping out beneath her, and she sat up with a jolt, yowling and gasping with the pain.

She screeched in panic and sorrow as she took in the scene before her; undeveloped kits, barely bigger then her two front paws, lay still and unmoving in a pool of blood beneath her, born much too early. Crowfeather sat up quickly at her cry, and his blue eyes widened in horror as he saw the kits. He pressed his muzzle to hers, trying to move her gaze to him, but the tabby she-cat could not tear her eyes from the scene.

"It...it must have been Stripes. He pressed his paws pretty deep into my stomach the day they attacked. It hurt them, so they tried to get out too early," Leafpool meowed in a flat monotone, her tone teetering on the edge of hysteria. She cringed away from the pool of blood and fetuses, burying her head in her paws and trying to breathe in deeply. The scent of blood overpowered her senses, and she gagged, choking noises forcing through her throat.

She dimly heard a soft squelching as Crowfeather picked up the kits and padded away to bury the small bodies. He was back in a few heartbeats, pressing his flank against hers.

"Come on, Leafpool," he murmured coaxingly, but in a broken voice. "Let's get away from here…"

She agreed with that easily enough; the scent of blood was overpowering her. Crowfeather helped her stand, and they lurched away, leaving the scene of her greatest grief behind.

"Don't run away from me, Hailkit! It's time for dinner. No, you can't have fresh-kill; you aren't nearly old enough. Rockkit! Don't play with your bedding!"

Two tiny, dark tabby kits giggled and pounced out of her reach, taunting and tempting her. She tried again and again to surprise them and catch them between her paws, but every time they took huge leaps back or to the side, remarkably fast and strong for kits their age.

"You can't catch us, Mama," they giggled, blue eyes gleaming mockingly, "you can't have us."

Leafpool watched in horror as the two lively, beautiful kits melted down and transformed to the deformed fetuses she had actually given birth to. She screeched as blood started washing over her paws, the scent choking her…

"Leafpool!" a familiar, worried voice called. Something kept poking her in the side. Leafpool moaned and rolled over, mumbling.

"Stop…no, come back! Don't leave me…" she cried, eyes closed and paws twitching as she dreamed.

"Leafpool, wake up!" A tongue started licking her face roughly, and Leafpool's eyes squinted open, the horrific images vanishing and being replaced by Crowfeather's stricken face.

"Crowfeather," the tabby she-cat croaked, afraid to close her eyes in case the images returned. "I'm okay. It was just a nightmare."

The gray-black tom's face looked haunted, as if he wished he could banish his love's every nightmare, and the images of her undeveloped kits. "I'm sorry, Leafpool…so sorry you had to go through that." He pressed his muzzle into her shoulder, and she rested her head on his, keeping her eyes wide open.

"Come on," she mewed after a few heartbeats, "there's no use sitting here all day. I'm well enough to travel; let's keep looking for a place to stay."

Crowfeather nodded, and the pair stood, continuing in the same direction they had come. The smoky gray tom kept his eyes trained on Leafpool's back, and the former medicine cat flicked her ear irritably. "I'm fine, Crowfeather. I'm not going to collapse if you look away for a heartbeat."

Crowfeather halted and said in a low, husky voice, using a tone Leafpool had never heard from him before, "Won't you?"

She stopped in her tracks, one paw poised over the ground in front of her. The words echoed in her head again and again, sounding like the persistent screech of a lark. _Won't you?_

Yes. Without Crowfeather here beside her, watching out for her every step, she _would_ collapse; the grief and pain racking her body was too much torment for her to bear alone. The only reason she could continue with this journey, continue having sane thoughts after the insanity of her daily nightmares, was that this wonderful tom was here to support and guide and comfort her each morning when her amber eyes opened.

A shudder rippled through her body, and just as her paws slipped out from under her she felt Crowfeather's flank press against her side and his teeth grip her scruff.

As the tabby she-cat yowled out her pain and grief to the heavens, her mate mumbled softly through her scruff, "Its okay, Leafpool. I won't let you fall."

And she knew he wouldn't.

"Can you smell that?"

Leafpool stopped and looked over at Crowfeather, who had his nose lifted in the air, jaws slightly parted as he breathed in a scent. the tabby she-cat followed his example, and blinked in surprise as a strange, slightly tangy scent washed through her mouth.

"Is that…cat? Or something else?" She murmured, puzzled. And the scent certainly was puzzling; it smelled like green things and cat and prey, but also of smoky wood and sand. Not like kittypets, but not entirely like wild cats either…

Crowfeather half-closed his eyes. "I think so…" he padded forward, following the scent through the air. Leafpool padded after him hesitantly.

She could see several cliffs and rifts around them, and in the distance even more. Reaching the edge of one of these small cliffs, they looked down and saw a strange clearing, with even stranger looking cats. They were all small, and clustered together in different groups, murmuring amongst themselves. their pelts were shiny and short, and in different arrays of colors.

"Who could they be?" murmured Crowfeather, letting his blue eyes rove over the strange gathering of cats.

"We're us. Who else would we be?"

Leafpool and Crowfeather reacted at the same time, jumping with fright then spinning around and hissing loudly. The tabby she-cat's amber eyes were wide as she took in the cat before them.

Before them stood a scrawny brown tom, lounging against a tree. One of his ears was torn, and as he yawned, Leafpool could see that his teeth were yellowed and chipped.

The former WindClan warrior growled, unsheathing his claws. "Why'd you sneak up on us like that? Who _are_ you?"

The scrawny tomcat rolled his eyes, eyeing Crowfeather's unsheathed claws warily. "Name's Stick. You looking for a fight? 'Cause I was kind of hoping I could get a nap today."

The smoky black tom blinked and sheathed his claws, taking a cautious step backwards. He glanced at Leafpool, and then meowed reluctantly, "No. We aren't looking for a fight; two strong cats against a scrawny piece of prey like you wouldn't be fair."

Stick hissed and straightened. "What did you say?"

Leafpool moaned. "Nothing. He didn't say anything."

The cat flicked his torn ear back and forth, waiting to see if Crowfeather said anything else, then shrugged. "Good."

Crowfeather growled.

"Tomcats," sighed a voice behind Stick, "they just never know when to shut up."

A black she-cat appeared through the trees behind Stick, her tail dragging in the ground and head low.

"Shut-up, Cora." Stick snapped. "I'm going to go take a nap. See what these two want." with that, the scrawny brown tom padded past the two former clan cats, leaping from ledge to ledge to the camp full of cats below.

Leafpool looked over at Cora again, amber eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Nothing seemed very significant about the she-cat, except the fact that she seemed unnaturally moody. "Are you okay?"

"Fine! Who wants to know?" Cora snapped, fur bristling.

"What strange cats," Crowfeather meowed quietly in his mate's ear. Leafpool agreed; these cats acted unlike any she had met before, besides Purdy, perhaps. They didn't seem angry at all that they were trespassers, but would rile up at the slightest insult. However, she understood Cora's reaction to her inquiry. Leafpool had behaved that way herself, not too long ago…

"What do you want, anyways?" Cora asked grumpily. She looked like she wanted to join Stick in his plans for the afternoon.

"Umm…somewhere safe to stay for the night?" Crowfeather ventured, not sure how to be prickly with this odd, emotional cat.

The black she-cat snorted and looked at the two like they were stupid. "Well, come on then." She brushed past them, leaping down the ledges to the clearing below like Stick had done previously.

The two former clan cats glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed Cora down the ledges.

Reaching the bottom, Cora lead them to a tree where a couple other cats were sprawled out, dozing. Leafpool hesitated, and then lowered herself to the ground, curling her tail over her nose. She vaguely felt Crowfeather stretch out beside her, and then drifted into an uneasy, alert, sleep.

_**So…this chapter is probably something none of you expected. Good, I love giving readers surprises! In case you haven't guessed, these are the same cats Firestar ran into that helped him find Sandstorm in **__**Firestar's Quest**__**. I don't have a copy so I just based it off my vague memory and some information found on . If I got part of it wrong, or if you could give me some information on them (since they will be included in the next chapter) please give it to me in a review! Oh, and probably my favorite CrowxLeaf moment in my story is in this chapter. When Leafpool finally realizes just how much Crowfeather means to her3 If the switch seems a little random, thats because it is. I couldn't stay in that depressing scen for one more word. Please tell me what you think of this one.**_


	22. Hope

Leafpool shot to her paws as she felt a paw poke into her shoulder, her eyes blinking awake and her claws coming out as if she had never been sleeping. Crowfeather was beside her in an instant, in the same position. Sleeping in the midst of unknown cats hadn't suited either of them well.

Stick was in front of them, his paw extended toward Leafpool and his torn ear flat against his head. He looked surprised at there reactions, and several of the other cats looked over in surprise as they sensed the former Clan cat's unease.

Leafpool forced her fur to lie flat, but her mate stayed alert and ready for an attack beside her, even though it was obvious this wasn't Stick's intention. The group seemed considerably smaller then before; Leafpool saw the low position of the sun in the sky and assumed they must be out hunting. Most of the other cats were lounging around lazily, some young kits were play fighting, and a small group of cats beneath a stunted bramble bush were discussing seriously the opposing flavor of different colored mice.

"What's up wit' you?" Stick meowed annoyed, his amber eyes looking over Crowfeather's fighting stance. "No one's gonna attack you."

Crowfeather blinked, slowly straightening up. Leafpool could tell he didn't completely understand the tabby tom's strange accent.

"Who's _that?"_ a harsh voice hissed, making the fur on Leafpool's spine raise. She turned towards the sound of the voice and saw a skinny black tom padding towards them in a foul mood.

"Friends o' mine," Stick answered at once. "Back off, Coal."

The black tom snorted and sat. "What do _these_ ones want? They aren't looking for that ginger she-cat too, are they?"

Leafpool looked from tom to tom quickly, her amber eyes puzzled. _How odd these cats act!_

The tabby tom shrugged. "Haven't said nothing 'bout her. Guess she hasn't been getting lost anymore."

Coal snorted and left, but Leafpool saw him pause beneath a tree a few tail-lengths away and stop, his ears swiveled towards the two intruders.

Stick snorted. "Coal. Aggressive little rat."

Leafpool agreed silently. The black tom had the closest attitude to a clan cat that she had seen in this group. _I wonder how Stick would act if he stumbled into Clan territory…_

The tabby she-cat jumped a bit in surprise as Crowfeather pressed his pelt against hers. Turning back, she saw him looking around warily with alert eyes, and purred, giving his ear a lick. "Don't worry Crowfeather," she meowed, "I don't think these cats want to attack us."

The smoky black tom just snorted and shrugged. He wasn't used to such friendly cats. "So…Stick," Crowfeather stumbled over the odd name, "We're looking for a safe place to find a home, away from other cats. Know of anywhere?"

Stick licked his paw and dragged it over his torn ear. "Sure. Just pick a nest, any nest," he flicked his tail towards the two-leg city. "You'll be safe and sound with the Nofurs."

Leafpool wrinkled her nose, and Crowfeather growled. "We aren't _kittypets._"

Stick looked up in surprise at the former WindClan cat's hostile tone. "You mean housecats? It's not so bad, you know. We take a turn with the Nofurs every once in a while, when prey isn't plentiful. Sure the mouse-dung pellets they feed us are disgusting, but sometimes we get tuna or even _milk…"_ the tabby tom's eyes took on a dreamy quality at this point, and Leafpool coughed, bringing him back to the present.

She explained hesitantly, trying to ignore the look of disgust her mate was sending at Stick, "What Crowfeather _means,_ is we are Clan cats. And we don't enjoy spending our lives trapped in a two-leg nest, growing fat and letting them do everything for us."

Stick's eyes sparked at the tabby she-cat's words. "_Clan _cats? Oh yeah, I know about the Clan. Picky bunch, them. But pretty loyal to each other. Why'd you leave?"

Leafpool blinked, turning to meet Crowfeather's look of amazement. She looked back at Stick, ignoring his question. 'What do you mean you _know_ about us? We've been traveling for moons to get this far away!"

Stick tilted his head at her. "Maybe if you traveled a tail-length a day. The Clan lives a couple days over that cliff, there."

The former medicine cat felt her belly clench._ Did Purdy turn us in a circle?_ They could be near the clans again. She could see Squirrelflight, Sorreltail, Sandstorm, and Firestar…_and I could be separated from Crowfeather, once again. _She shuddered away from the thought, pressing closer to her mate.

"Are…are you sure?" Crowfeather's voice sounded shaky. What was he thinking about? Breezepaw? Onestar?_ Nightcloud?_ Leafpool felt a spike of jealousy go through her, as unreasonable as she knew the thought was. How absurd to think Crowfeather still had feelings for Nightcloud when he had run away with her!

"Oh yeah. The Clan lives in the cliff face about a day away from here. Feisty bunch. Always 'Protectin' their borders' and such. That explains why you two were so aggressive when I found you."

Leafpool blinked. _The Clan? Cliff face?_ Unless this group only knew about one of the clans, and that clan had changed camps in the past moon, they couldn't be the same Four Clans the two were from. _Then who are they?_

Crowfeather's voice sounded frustrated as he meowed, "Could you tell us a bit more about this Clan?" Apparently he had reached the same conclusion his mate had.

"No," Stick answered simply, "I can't."

The tabby she-cat's tail drooped in disappointment.

"But my friend can," the tabby tom finished nonchalantly.

Crowfeather rolled his eyes. "Could you show us where 'your friend' is?" He said the words scathingly, as if he didn't believe anyone would befriend this snarky tomcat.

"Sure." Stick stood and walked over to the shade beneath a stunted oak tree, where two heaps of fur were wound tightly around each other, snoozing. Leafpool, feeling embarrassed by their intimacy, turned her head away.

"Shorty, Snowy," Stick meowed impatiently, nudging them. Two heads appeared out of the pile, one a light brown tabby with amber eyes, and the other a gleaming white furred head with glistening blue eyes.

"Hello, Stick," rang out the white head cheerily. She turned her head to the Leafpool and Crowfeather, looking the strangers up and down. "Hello, who are you?"

Leafpool felt taken aback by her open, cheerful demeanor, but answered hesitantly, "I'm Leafpool; this is my mate, Crowfeather." she put a certain emphasis on the word 'mate.' The pretty white she-cat was eye-catching, but, glancing at the smoky black tom, she saw that Crowfeather's blue eyes were still roaming around the clearing, watching out for unexpected attacks. She felt a certain thrill of smugness go through her stomach.

"Hello. I'm Snowy, and this is my mate, Shorty," Snowy meowed welcomingly.

"Yes, every cat knows how much 'mating' you two are up to," Stick meowed dryly. Leafpool suppressed a _mrrow_ of laughter. "They want to know about the Clan," the tabby tom continued impatiently.

"Oh!" Snowy sounded delighted at the chance to tell this story to a new audience. "Of course, sit, sit." She flicked her tail to the ground in front of her, untangling herself elegantly from Shorty. The light brown tabby tom flicked his tail across her ears, sending a friendly smile to the former Clan cats.

Leafpool sat, Crowfeather following suite. He pressed his pelt constantly against hers, keeping Leafpool's heart pounding happily.

"So, the Clan…" Snowy's voice took on an ominous, excited edge as she began her story. "Well, the first we heard of it was when Firestar came through here, looking for his ginger she-cat."

"Firestar!" Leafpool gasped. Her _father_ had been here?

"You know him?" Snowy sounded disappointed.

Leafpool hesitated then answered, "Yes. He's my father; He lives a long way away though, with ThunderClan,"

"Hmm." Snowy observed, looking over the tabby she-cat again. "Yes, I thought you reminded me of his ginger she-cat. I'm glad they finally worked things out. And I'm _quite _sure he mentioned that he was from a different Clan."

Leafpool held her tongue, though she had several questions bubbling up her throat. _Ginger she-cat?_ That must be Sandstorm. She was here too?_ Worked things out? _What problems could her parents, who always seemed so in love, have had at one point?

"Anyways," Snowy continued, "I first met Firestar when he was searching for his ginger she-cat. Quite distraught over losing her, he was, and she wasn't too eager to be with him, now I think about it. They said something about "rebuilding SkyClan."

"Well, we didn't know what Firestar was talking about, and apparently we weren't who he was looking for, so he went on his way, and we didn't see him for quite a long time. Then he passed through again, saying SkyClan had been established, and we could join if we pleased, and to be careful when crossing their territory because they wouldn't like it…stuff like that. So, Shorty and I dropped by to see what they were all about, and got chased out by one of our very old friends!" Snowy shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, chased us right out of their 'territory,' yowling like a dog had eaten all their prey." Shorty added creatively.

Leafpool blinked at the two, barely keeping up with the story, told in their strange accent.

"So," Snowy finished, "We never went padding back to SkyClan again. Heard stories though." she lowered her voice dramatically. "I heard they fight wars with rats, and eat _bones._"

Crowfeather snorted softly beside her, and Shorty narrowed his eyes. Leafpool thought these stories sounded a lot like the ones Cody had told her about back when she was trapped by the two-legs.

"Believe whatever you like," Shorty meowed gruffly, "but we've been around here for moons, and we know what we heard."

Leafpool thought it best to interrupt whatever remark her prickly mate had coming. "Thank you so much for the information. This is very interesting." The tabby she-cat stood and padded away from the two cats, back to the spot they had slept the previous night. Crowfeather followed her, always within a tail-length.

The two former Clan cats huddled together, Crowfeather's eyes suspicious. "You want to go see SkyClan, don't you?"

The tabby she-cat looked sheepishly at the ground, then up into her mate's blue eyes. "Yes. _Don't you see what this could mean, Crowfeather?"_

The smoky black tom looked taken aback by the fervency in Leafpool's voice. "What do you…? Oh-!"

Leafpool saw the enlightenment spark in Crowfeather's blue eyes. "It's somewhere safe, where we can protect and will be protected in turn. Where we can raise kits. Where we can follow the code of our ancestors and _still be together."_

The former WindClan tom stared into Leafpool's eyes with sacrifice written in his gaze. "But Leafpool...we won't be alone. What if StarClan is with these cats? What if they try to shape our destiny again?"

Leafpool blinked her amber eyes, willing her mate to understand. "I'm sorry, Crowfeather. But I need kits. It's been haunting me for a moon, and this may be the only way to rear them in safety, in the only life I know."

Crowfeather didn't hesitate as he touched his nose to Leafpool's softly. "I will follow you where ever you lead, Leafpool. If this is what you want, then I will support you there."

Leafpool raised her head to the sky, not bothering to hide her ecstasy. Opening her jaws wide, she yowled triumphantly to the endless blue sky. Suddenly, the future seemed full of hope.

_**I am quite happy with this chapter. Sure, there is not much LeafxCrow, and yeah, to me it seems a little rushed or random, but I just love the strange cats. I loved giving them an accent. And I loved making another pairing for you to think about; SnowyxShorty. And don't worry; there will be PLENTY of LeafxCrow in the next chapter, which may be a while in getting up…If someone could send me the SkyClan allegiances from Firestar's Quest, that would be great. Especially the names of the kits.**_

_**Enjoy, and review! And don't forget to vote on my poll-only a few chapters of this story left!**_


	23. Found

"I'm tellin' you, this ain't a good idea!" Shorty grumbled, flicking his tail irritably.

"You could have stayed behind. We can follow directions well enough," Crowfeather hissed, annoyed.

Snowy opened her blue eyes wide. "That wouldn't have been right! Lettin' visitors loose on the dry cliffs with The Time of Fallin' Leaves comin' on so quickly!" the pretty white she-cat shook her head at the idea. "We're more hospitable then that."

Her mate grumbled softly, "_You_ may be…"

Leafpool sighed to herself, becoming quite annoyed with the accented chit-chat from these two strange cats. Her paws itched to reach SkyClan territory, to know for herself if the rumors about her father- and, possibly, mother- were true. The tabby she-cat _especially_wanted to know if this unknown Clan followed the same warrior code set down by StarClan- surely Firestar would have taught them?

The ThunderClan leader's daughter thoughts were abruptly heading down a different path, something she had not questioned or thought much about before. What reason would Firestar have for organizing a secret clan? A surprise ally, in times of war? _But why so far from the Four Clans?_

When _had_ he done this, anyways? Leafpool couldn't recall any time her father had been missing for a moon or so. _It must have been when I was a kit, or before I was born-are we close to the old Forest?_ Leafpool's heartbeat quickened at the thought. How she longed to go back and get a glimpse, even if all she saw was a budding two-leg place. How she _longed_ to press her nose against the moonstone, to see if any starry warriors lingered over the Clan's original home…

"Leafpool, watch out!" The sudden, loud call made her jump a few inches into the air, her fur fluffed out. In a burst of horror, she realized her paws her slipping out from under her, her slim body slipping towards the lip of the cliff edge, to the drop on the sandy red earth far, far below…

Then, as soon as the falling sensation came, jaws closed around her scruff, yanking her to an abrupt halt. Her savior dragged her backwards, away from the cliff edge and to safety. Gasping, she looked up and met Crowfeather's wondering blue gaze.

"You…you saved me. Again." The tabby she-cat couldn't look away from her mate's eyes, her amber gaze penetrating and her heart pounding against her chest with shock and relief.

Crowfeather's eyes were still wondering and filled with disbelief, as if he couldn't believe it. "Yes. I did?" he said the words as a question, though not directed at Leafpool. His eyes were staring at something above her, but as she looked up, she could detect nothing unusual for him to be questioning.

"Ahem." The personal moment was broken as Shorty cleared his throat conspicuously, probably reminding the two that they weren't alone. Leafpool's tail curled in embarrassment, feeling uncomfortable sharing those private moments, when she and Crowfeather _truly_ connected, with any cat. _How much alone time will we get if we decide to stay with SkyClan?_

The four walked along, Crowfeather keeping his pelt pressed so tightly against Leafpool's that she brushed against the sandy cliff wall a few times. Soon, Leafpool heard the distinct sound of trickling water below.

"Is that a stream?" she questioned their guides.

"Nope," meowed Snowy, "it's the end of the river."

Leafpool's fur fluffed up. _Rivers had ends?_ From what Squirrelflight said, she assumed they ran until reaching the Sun-drown place. Was that where they were? The sun-drown place? The former medicine cat looked around dubiously. There were certainly many cliffs, but these were sandy red and never-ending, not the steep, black sentinels her sister described.

Suddenly, as they padded onto a stretch of sandy soil, the clan cats realized their guides had halted. Looking back, Leafpool saw guarded looks on the faces of their strange acquaintances.

Shorty glanced at his mate, then back at the clan cats. "This is as far as we will lead you. Just follow the river until it ends, and you will be in their territory," the pale brown tabby tom meowed defensively, as if he expected them to protest.

Snowy took one cautious step forward to touch noses with Leafpool and Crowfeather, the former tensing unreasonably as the pretty white she-cat brushed her nose against Leafpool's mate.

"Good luck," she murmured fervently to them, "I hope ya'll find what you need." She looked back expectantly at Shorty, who cleared his throat.

"Yeah, hope they don't claw your fur off," the tabby tom added.

Leafpool's pelt prickled; Shorty's words, meant to be kind, did not reassure her.

Crowfeather looked at the two cats for a long moment, a flicker of grudging gratitude appearing in his blue eyes. "Thank you," he muttered, and then, quietly so the two surely couldn't hear, "you may have given us a new life to look forward to."

Leafpool purred, waved her tail in good-bye to the two cats that had become, strange or not, unlikely friends, and then turned, padding forward. Crowfeather's pelt brushed against hers every pawstep, and neither cat looked back again. Every decision they made from now on would be made with absolute certainty.

* * *

A yowl ripped loose from Leafpool's throat as a bundle of gray fur hurtled from the underbrush at her, their bodies colliding and tumbling backwards with the force of the motion. Her eyes turned up to seek out her attacker but, as her amber eyes met his furious hazel ones, they were instantly replaced with prickly blue as Crowfeather slammed the cat off of her.

The strange tom hissed, whirling to his feet in one smooth motion. In a heartbeat, he had crouched, pounced, and flung himself into the tree above them in one awing leap.

Leafpool blinked, looking up in amazement. She'd never seen a cat with legs like that. _How did he _do _that?_

Crowfeather stood tense and battle-ready ahead of her, staring upwards with hostility in his guarded eyes and teeth bared in a hiss. Leafpool quickly followed suit, sinking into a defensive position.

The tom in the tree seemed to realize that these strange cats knew how to fight; his hazel eyes glanced around warily before he snapped, "What do you think you're doing on SkyClan territory?"

Leafpool's tail curled up in joy nearly immediately, relaxing out of her defensive stance and her amber eyes growing wide in relief. "SkyClan Territory! Did you hear that, Crowfeather? Thank StarClan; we've made it!"

The SkyClan tom looked at Leafpool in incredulous amazement, but Crowfeather's blue eyes held only patience. "Yes, Leafpool, I heard him. Now please don't distract me; I have a feeling he'll tear my fur off the moment I turn away."

The tom blinked at Crowfeather, his amazement quickly turning to confusion.

"It's what I would," the smoky black tom said lightly, shrugging, but not moving from his fighting stance. Leafpool had a feeling that wasn't the answer to the question running through the SkyClan tom's head at the moment.

The former Clan cat took a hesitant step forward, staying behind Crowfeather. "I am Leafpool, former medicine cat of ThunderClan. Firestar and Sandstorm- the cats who, to my knowledge, helped create your clan- are my father and mother."

The cat immediately relaxed and leaped down from the tree- making Crowfeather flinch- in what seemed to be giddy excitement. "Firestar's daughter! Why didn't you say so? Cherrytail will be so excited!" his hazel eyes sparkled with the thought.

Crowfeather relaxed slightly, staying guardedly in front of Leafpool. "So we _have_ found SkyClan? Are you like the Four Clans?"

The pale gray tom blinked back at him. "Well, I don't know much about the four clans you speak of. I was only a kit when Firestar came and helped rebuild SkyClan."

"Rebuild?" Leafpool asked dubiously. Apparently, there was more to this clan's story then she thought. "What do you mean be 'rebuilt'?"

The SkyClan cat's face shifted. "Well, honestly, I only heard the stories passed down by the cats Firestar and Skywatcher taught. If you want a first-hand account, come with me to camp. Leafstar and Cherrytail can tell you."

With that, the pale gray tom turned and padded briskly away from them, an excited bounce in his step. Leafpool and Crowfeather looked at each other for a heartbeat, doubt in the eyes of the latter.

Leafpool comfortingly touched her tail-tip to her mate's shoulder. "Come on," she mewed, "I really don't think he means us any harm."

Crowfeather sighed and took a step towards the SkyClan cat. "Fine. Just…watch out. I feel like we're walking into an ambush." He looked around briefly at the high, enclosing cliff walls. "Probably these cliffs. Worse territory then even ThunderClan's choked _forest_!"

Leafpool growled in amusement and followed him, the pair padding after the lively young tom over the bare, rocky earth. Leafpool numbly felt her pads stinging. _How do these cats live here without leaving trails of blood from torn pads everywhere?_

The pale gray tom turned his head back to scrutinize them for a moment. "I'm Sagemask, by the way. Leafpool and Crowfeather, right?"

The two nodded politely. Sagemask quickly swiveled his head back around, apparently uninterested in the pair of strange clan cats.

The tabby she-cat turned her amber eyes on her surroundings, taking in the trees on the cliffs above her. A few stunted trees grew along the cliff floor near the river, now so near it's end that it was little more then a small stream, as they went along, the sandy ground becoming more soil-like as they followed Sagemask. _It seems like such a strange territory,_ the former medicine cat thought dubiously, _but I think we'll be able to manage._

Abruptly, the pale gray tom halted and turned back to look at the two he was leading. "Now, try to keep quiet until I introduce you. We're pretty sensitive to intruders these days," the SkyClan cat said firmly, shoulders lifting somewhat with pride, "but at least rogues and loners have begun taking us seriously. We're a clan, and we hold our borders strictly."

Crowfeather nodded once, and Leafpool could see in his eyes that he was placated. Sagemask spoke with pride and loyalty in his voice about SkyClan, much the same way Crowfeather felt about WindClan. Leafpool wondered if this young tom, just a little older then her self, would leave his clan if he fell in love with a rogue or loner. _I rather doubt it._

Sagemask looked them over with his hazel eyes, making sure they understood, then turned and padded forward and Leafpool caught sight of a fallen tree, lying across and just above the river. He agilely crouched and sprung over it, performing another magnificent leap. Leafpool wondered if he liked showing off.

The two forest cats crouched and tried to copy Sagemask's jump, but they fell short and slipped off the tree into the river. Leafpool sat up, sputtering, thankful that the river was so shallow here. Crowfeather resurfaced beside her, his short fur plastered to his thin WindClan frame. Leafpool could only imagine what she looked like after the short dip. _I probably resemble a half-drowned rat._

Crowfeather sputtered, hissing and coughing, his blue eyes looking irritated and embarrassed. His mate was so amused by the view that she _mrrrowed_ out loud, giving his ear a swift lick. The smoky black tom sighed and then returned the gesture, looking over Leafpool with amusement.

"Ahem," Sagemask meowed haughtily, standing by the river edge and looking at the pair in disdain. Leafpool swept a paw through the water, splashing him and covering his head and chest with river water.

The surprised tom's hazel eyes widened, then took on a gleam of interest. He rather looked torn between acting superior to their kit-like behavior, and joining in the fun. Leafpool decided to relieve him of the decision.

"Come on," she mewed, standing and shaking her fluffy tabby fur out. "We should go speak to your leader." She climbed out of the water beside Crowfeather, cringing slightly as she realized how silly they would look to the SkyClan cats.

Sagemask nodded, continuing forward. It didn't take long; they padded around a bend and Leafpool halted mid paw-step as she took in the SkyClan camp.

It was a series of cliffs, a zigzagged path leading to the top of the cliff. Along the path, small dark holes adorned the cliff face, the pelts of many cats lounging outside of them. Above it all, a huge, looming gray rock sat on the ground above the gorge, imperial and majestic. The river tapered to an end right below the camp, seeming to simply disappear into a patch of soggy ground.

Leafpool jumped nearly a foot off the ground as a loud voice suddenly hissed, "Trespassers!"

The SkyClan cats were instantly on their feet, several cats of all size and age emerging from the dark holes (cave entrances, as Leafpool now realized) and some of them forgoing the zigzagging path, taking impossible leaps down to the floor of the gorge. Crowfeather pressed in front of and beside Leafpool securely, looking around with defiant eyes at the cats that clearly outnumbered them. The cat that alerted the clan first pushed his way to the front of the group, a large, muscular ginger tom with intelligent, furious green eyes. His long, curved claws were unsheathed and pressed against the sandy soil.

"What are you doing in SkyClan's camp?" he hissed, rounding on Sagemask. "Sagemask! Why have you led them here?"

The pale gray warrior shrank back, and then tried to stand tall. "I had a good reason."

The ginger warrior, whom Leafpool assumed was leader, growled. "And this 'good reason' would be?"

"This," Sagemask said importantly, flicking his tail to the wet, dripping pair, "Is Leafpool and Crowfeather. They are from the same clans Firestar was from. In fact-" he continued, meowing louder as a surprised murmur ran through the group of battle-ready clan cats, "the tabby she-cat is Firestar and Sandstorm's own daughter."

"_What?"_ the shocked meow sounded louder then the rest, coming from a lean tortoiseshell standing near the front of the group. Her green eyes were wide, boring into Leafpool's pelt.

"Cherrytail!" Sagemask meowed, relieved. He rushed forward to press his nose to the tortie's shoulder, a gesture Cherrytail disregarded as she scrutinized Leafpool with slack-jawed shock.

"Sharpclaw, what's going on?" Came a calm but superior meow. A creamy brown she-cat with a dappled coat and amber eyes padded forward, the cats of SkyClan stepping out of her way with respect. She padded up beside the ginger tom, who dipped his head in respect and took a hesitant step back.

"Sagemask found them. He says they come from Firestar's Four Clans, and that the she-cat is Firestar and Sandstorm's kin," Sharpclaw answered.

Leafpool realized, as she looked over the she-cat, saw her power and beauty and the respect in the eyes of the cats that looked upon her, that she had made a mistake when she guessed the leader of SkyClan. This dapple-coated tabby clearly was the cat that gave orders here.

The leader's eyes widened in pleasant surprise as she looked over Leafpool quickly. "Ah yes- I can see Sandstorm in you clearly. Your frames are almost exactly the same; so graceful and slim."

The tabby she-cat blinked and dipped her head in respect. No cat had ever seen the resemblance between herself and her popular ginger parents. "Thank you, -"

"Leafstar," the dappled she-cat supplied as she heard Leafpool's silence.

The former medicine cat's amber eyes widened as she quickly calculated timing in her head. Her parents must have traveled here to put together this clan before she was born…_Sagemask is the same age as me, and he said he was a kit when Firestar came here. Could I have been named after this cat?_

"I'm Leafpool, and this is Crowfeather, my mate," Leafpool meowed, flicking her tail towards Crowfeather. She saw Leafstar's own amber eyes fill with puzzled understanding; her possible namesake's thoughts must have been along the same route Leafpool's had been.

"Welcome to SkyClan, Leafpool and Crowfeather," She meowed welcomingly. Some of her clanmates began padding away, back to their dens, though they kept their ears pricked and their eyes kept glancing back curiously at the newcomers.

Soon, only Leafstar, Sharpclaw, Sagemask, Cherrytail, and a black and silver she-cat who introduced herself as Echosong remained.

"I have so many questions for you- I hardly know where to start!" Leafstar meowed excitedly. Leafpool's whiskers twitched up.

"I have questions for you as well," Leafpool admitted. Crowfeather stood beside her quietly, and Leafpool got the feeling from his bristled pelt that he hadn't completely relaxed in the presence of so many strange cats.

Well, lets all go somewhere more comfortable- my den, perhaps?" Leafstar suggested turning and flicking her tail towards a clump of rocks surrounding a cave farther past the other dens.

The group of cats padded there, squeezing into the den. The cave was quite spacious, but with seven cats surrounding it Leafpool ended up squeezed between Echosong and Crowfeather.

"So," Cherrytail began, her voice excited and impatient, "You were part of ThunderClan? How's Firestar and Sandstorm? How are the Clans? Why did you leave?"

Leafstar laid her tail over Cherrytail's mouth. "Don't drive them away with your questions, Cherrytail. They are our guests; we will answer their questions before we make them answer ours.

Cherrytail ducked her head, embarrassed. Sagemask licked her ear, purring in amusement, but the pretty tortoiseshell seemed unaffected, staring at Crowfeather and Leafpool.

"Well," Leafpool mewed uncertainly, "I heard a rumor from some cats, Snowy and Shorty, on our way here, and they said my father and mother…came to create this clan, or something?"

The SkyClan cat's fur bristled momentarily, but Leafstar hurried to clear things up. "Not create; to re-create, in a way. SkyClan was part of the original clans; the Five Clans. They were driven out long before our time by the other four when their territory was destroyed to make two-leg place."

Leafpool and Crowfeather protested in outrage; how could their warrior ancestors do something like that? But they were forced to believe as Leafstar laid out the whole story, with help occasionally from Echosong and Cherrytail, as was told to them first by Firestar then by warrior ancestors of all clans that had visited them in dreams.

"There's karma for you," Crowfeather muttered, grimacing. As the SkyClan cats looked at him curiously, he explained, "The Four Clans no longer occupy the old forest. We had to move to new territory far away from it when twolegs took there monsters to our moors and woodlands, tearing it up to expand two-leg place."

There was a moment of silence through the den, then a mixture of shocked and agreeing meows. _It sounds like they don't pity the clans too much; only Firestar. Well, I suppose in their eyes we got what we deserved._

Leafpool tried to change the subject, asking what Firestar and Sandstorm did to re-create SkyClan, and was quickly swept up in the story of adventure, gasping in horror as they spoke of the rat attack and curling her tail in amusement as Cherrytail told her about the first time she and her brother, Sparrowpelt, met Firestar.

Soon the two forest cats had sought out and found nearly every detail about SkyClan's history and culture. Leafpool was delighted when Echosong revealed that she was medicine cat, and she was intrigued as the black and silver she-cat told her about the place where she shared tongues with StarClan.

"Well," Cherrytail meowed impatiently, "Now can you tell us more about the Four Clans?"

Leafpool let Crowfeather talk about the great journey, getting lost herself in the adventure and deep harmony of her mate's voice. Soon, though, Leafpool had to tell them how Firestar and Sandstorm were, and about her sister. Her voice choked up while she spoke of her family, now lost to her forever.

There was an awkward pause, then; "So why'd you leave, if the clans are doing so well?" Sagemask asked bluntly.

Leafpool hesitated, glancing at Crowfeather. She wondered if these cats would mind if she told them how they had broken the warrior code.

"I…well; I was ThunderClan's medicine cat. _And _Crowfeather is from a different clan, WindClan."

Another silence took over the den, broken at last by Crowfeather's fierce growl. "We fell in love, is that a crime?"

Leafpool suddenly felt the insane urge to purr in amusement. _Yes, that's exactly what it is._

"We decided to run away together, rather then wait to be exiled for breaking the warrior code. We've traveled for many moons, and been through a lot. Will you judge us for feelings we couldn't control?"

Finally, Leafstar spoke. "No. I suppose we cannot judge you. I don't know what it's like to be in love, much less a forbidden love; but I've seen love's power, and I'm sure it would be wrong to condemn you for something that happened far from here."

Crowfeather blinked in gratitude, then turned and licked Leafpool's ear.

The group talked for a long while more and battles and other tidbits from the clans. Finally, Sharpclaw stood and extricated himself from the group of cats, calling Sagemask with him to go on a hunting patrol. The rest of the cats stretched out in the newly opened space.

After a long moment, Echosong murmured, "I had a dream a few nights ago about you two. You wish to stay, is that correct?"

Leafpool paused then nodded slightly. "I've seen…along our journey…" the tabby she-cat's claws flexed into the ground and pain sparked in her amber eyes. "Having kits and raising a family would be nearly impossible alone. I'm sure other loner Queens have done it, but I don't know any other way then a Clan Queen's way, and I want my kits…_our_ kits to grow up in the only way I know. In the traditions of their warrior ancestors."

Leafstar nodded. "You are welcome to leave or stay as you please, but if you stay, I will need you to pledge your loyalty to SkyClan. I cannot simply provide protection for you and any kits you might have."

Crowfeather's fur bristled and he meowed curtly, "Of course we will be active warriors of the clan. I could not live the life of a kittypet; having others do everything for you and sitting around lazily, being protected."

Leafstar nodded again, thinking, her amber eyes intelligent. "Well then. I see no reason to delay your ceremonies." the dapple-coated she-cat stood, whisking from the den, closely followed by her medicine cat and Cherrytail. Crowfeather and Leafpool glanced at each other, bewildered, then stood and followed. As they exited the den and padded over to the main clearing, they spotted Leafstar's creamy brown coat traveling up the zigzagged path, take a magnificent leap onto the majestic gray stone overlooking the clearing, and turn to the clearing, her muzzle pointed towards the sky.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Sky Rock for a Clan meeting."

Leafpool felt a thrill go through her paws at the nearly familiar words, padding forward as she imagined Firestar standing atop the highledge, his ginger coat flaming in the setting sun. The vision suddenly changed, becoming Crowfeather standing atop a pile of gorse-surrounded stones, moorlands stretching out behind him and WindClan cats looking up at him respectfully, Nightcloud gazing up at her leader affectionately…

Leafpool shook her head, ears flapping, and Crowfeather turned to send her a curious glance. She twitched her whiskers into a strained smile, turning to look up at Leafstar again as more SkyClan cats surrounded them.

"Cats of SkyClan," Leafstar began, looking down at her clan in a loving, motherly way, "We were joined today by two curious strangers, from far away. However, they are no strangers to the warrior code, for they come from the Four Clans which drove our clan from their midst many moons ago."

A current of growls rippled through the surrounding cats, and Leafpool pressed close to her mate, wondering if Leafstar knew what she was doing.

"However," the leader began again, silencing the growls, "They apologize greatly for the misdeed their warrior ancestors did to us, and have left their clans to be together. They wish to join SkyClan, and I have accepted their request, seeing their pure and honest hearts."

The murmurings weren't as great this time. Apparently, the Clan was used to getting new members. Leafpool thought of the reaction an announcement like this would have had on the other clans, and grimaced.

"Crowfeather," she called. Crowfeather took a cautious step forward. "Crowfeather, you seem to be a loyal and strong warrior. Your figure, and the legacy of WindClan, the clan you hail from, belies your swiftness. Do you promise to be loyal to SkyClan from now on, and use the gifts StarClan gave you to uphold the warrior code and protect the clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Crowfeather did not hesitate in his answer. "I promise to protect SkyClan, but I will always be more loyal to Leafpool then to you, Leafstar, and I must say that if it came down to choosing to protect her and to protect a SkyClan cat, I would choose her."

There was a silence from Leafstar, who then meowed, "Well, I don't suppose this is a surprise. Thank you for your honesty, Crowfeather. I will have to accept that answer. From now on, you are a warrior of SkyClan."

Crowfeather dipped his head, and then took a step back.

"Leafpool," Leafstar called next. The tabby she-cat took a step forward.

"You are a wise, pure cat, who has knowledge of healing herbs. You will be a valuable warrior to SkyClan. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect the clan…under the same circumstances as Crowfeather, I presume?"

Leafpool nodded. "I do."

"Then from now on, you are a warrior of SkyClan.

The two brand-new SkyClan warriors stood proudly as their names were chanted around the clearing.

"Crowfeather!"

"Leafpool!"

The smoky black tom leaned over and murmured in Leafpool's ear, "What's it like, being a warrior?"

Leafpool _mrrrowed_ in amusement, murmuring back, "It feels strangely…empowering. I still feel responsible for saving lives, but more for protecting them from harm, rather then healing them."

Crowfeather purred and licked her ear, then the two padded to the edge of camp, near the end of the river, to sit vigil. They sat through the night together their, in silence, pelts brushing and electricity buzzing through there bodies wherever they touched, as the darkness and the light of the moon shone down on the two cats as they embarked onto another chapter of their lives.


	24. Epilogue

Leafpool stood atop the rocky stones, looking out at the torn, muddy moors before her. The screeches of huge two-leg monsters hauling mud away and bringing in blocks of torn-down trees had stopped finally, as night had fallen over the former forest. Usually, she would not be able to see this far over the land, but from the top of this great rock, with the ground and trees flattened by the twoleg monsters, she could see out across all the territory the clans used to occupy. There was barely any discerning between WindClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan… no boundaries, no rivers, nothing but the single thunderpath and a long stretch of muddy brown. Near the old two-leg place, assumedly where ThunderClan used to be, skeletal structures of wooden houses were being built up.

A small piece of her heart had withered away as she watched the twolegs and their monsters at work, watched them tear down the territory she used to think was indestructible, safe, ever-lasting, and put up their own structures. Now they had stopped to rest for the night, but she knew the changing would continue, day after day.

The Clans were not as resilient and eternal as Leafpool had believed her whole life. They could be destroyed so easily…through battle, through sickness, through twoleg destruction, through one ambitious cat bent on taking over the forest. There were many things that could destroy a clan. They were only groups of cats, banded together through loyalty and a need for companionship and peace. The bonds between warriors could be broken as easily as the string from a dewed spider's web.

_Our love is stronger,_ Leafpool realized with a sudden ferocity, narrowing her eyes out at the twolegs. The bond between her and Crowfeather was impossible to break. Only the death of one could separate them, and Leafpool knew that now that they belonged to a StarClan watched clan, they would be together in the life after this. No responsibilities could keep them apart. They were one, the same cat, their paths twisted together like the tendrils on a briar bush, fierce and unyielding.

The tabby she-cat slipped down the rocky slope of Highstones, her paws tough from a moon with SkyClan. She had waited to get settled into her home before making this journey, but with her recent discovery, she knew it couldn't wait any longer.

She approached the dark opening of Mothermouth, feeling a dark chill go through her. She was surprised at this reaction; as an apprentice, the entrance had always given her a happy anticipation, the excitement of sharing tongues with her warrior ancestors.

But she knew now, facing the dark cave, that no warriors of StarClan waited inside to greet her; nor did she want to greet any starry warriors. Her business with StarClan was through; they would never again guide her pawsteps.

She took a step into the cave, her fur bristling slightly. Despite the cold fear that now clawed at her belly, she continued forward determinedly, knowing that to completely rid herself of this wasted piece of her heart, the piece that yearned continually for old, comfortable territory and for her clanmates, she would have to face this last trial head-on.

She padded through the dark cave, her breathing hitching and picking up as the dark cave walls closed around her. Suddenly, she felt a current of air ahead, and the narrow tunnel burst open into a cavern.

There it stood, unchanged by time. The Moonstone.

The giant stone stood in the center of the cavern, just below a hole in the roof. Looking up through the opening, Leafpool could see cold stars glittering above. Empty stars.

She had timed this just right. As she stood before it, suddenly the hole at the top of the cavern was lit as a lumpy moon moved across the sky. The edge of the Moonstone was suddenly lit with brilliant gleaming silver, which grew until the whole stone was alight and shining upon the entire cavern.

Squinting her eyes to peer through the illumination, Leafpool stared in awe at the stone. It was still magnificent and mythical in this beauty, even with the spirits of StarClan absent from this cave.

_I wonder…_ she took a few pawsteps forward, hesitated, and then touched her nose gently to the cold stone.

Instantly, her vision changed. Instead of the brilliance of the moonstone before her, she saw dim light filtering through a cave entrance. Suddenly the light was blocked as Crowfeather peered his head through the opening, his blue eyes illuminated with joy.

"Leafpool," he breathed, padding into the den and touching noses with her. "They're beautiful."

Leafpool followed her mate's gaze downward, and saw four beautiful kits suckling at her belly, their warm paws kneading against her chest…looking up again, she saw a silver tabby she-cat, standing just behind Crowfeather and looking upon the new-born kits with proud, tortured blue eyes.

The vision dimmed and Leafpool opened her eyes to the dazzling light of the Moonstone again, looking at it in wonder. _Feathertail…_She knew the vision came from the deceased silver she-cat. _You followed him all the way here?_

"Yes," echoed a sad voice throughout the cave. Leafpool shivered with the desperate feeling of obsession that filled the cave. However, the feeling left almost as soon as it came, and Leafpool took a deep breath.

The tabby she-cat bent her head, licking the slight bulge in her stomach. She had known within days after they had been conceived that she was with kit. She had felt the faint stirrings, felt the new life inside of her, depending on her…and she knew she had to bring them into this world without any regret of the life she could have had if she had stayed with the Clans. Any kits of Crowfeather's would be too clever to be fooled if she had continued in this half-state of happiness and regret. Crowfeather was the only thing important to her now; Crowfeather and their future kits.

She padded quickly through the tunnel again, emerging into the less brilliant moonlight outside. A purr rumbled in her throat as she saw Crowfeather's silhouette padding towards her from Barley's barn, where he had waited for her. He had sensed that she had something to do here, something that she could only do alone.

"How are you?" he murmured, his muzzle to her ear, his voice full of true concern and affection. She remembered how she used to react to that phrase and felt like purring in amusement. How could she ever get angry after hearing it from this tom?

"I'm…free. At last." she meowed back, her amber eyes wide and clear.

Crowfeather stared back at her with his orbs of blue, seeing at once that this was true. No shadows of their past haunted her now. There was only the present, the future, and their memories of being together to look forward to now.

The two stood like that for a long moment, then turned simultaneously to look up at the moon, huge but not quite full.

Crowfeather's voice was rough and emotional as he meowed earnestly, "You know I love you, right Leafpool?"

The tabby she-cat nodded, her pelt prickling at the words and the truth behind them. "Yes," she meowed with perfect clarity, "I know. And I love you."

Crowfeather sighed, pressing his nose to her shoulder.

Leafpool knew, in that moment, perhaps more then she had ever known before, that Crowfeather was truly her life now. And she was his.

And it would remain that way, for as long as they lived and after they had passed on from this world. Because some things in life, like love, are so infallible they are greater then life itself.


	25. End Note

_**Wow. Its over- after more then a year of living in this story, of following Leafpool and Crowfeather on their journey of what should have been, the story is finally no longer mine to tell. I have concluded this epic tale at a part that brought closure to me; it is now up to my readers to decide what will happen with the two from now on. Will they stay with SkyClan? Will their kits be born healthy and safe? Will their legacy continue untainted be evil or suspicion? Only you can know. **_

_**Writing this story has been one of my most memorable experiences; it had really improved my style and the feeling I put into my stories. Hearing all of my reader's witty reviews and reading your stories in turn has been amazing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed for sharing your thoughts on my writing with me. Thanks especially to my most vigilant reviewers; Feathercloud13 (for jarring me awake and scolding me for not updating for so long) Loraya, Ivoryclaw, and Nightclaw for sticking with me through this whole journey, and Steven Rawn for making me feel like a grown-up author with his professional review. Along with many, MANY others who I couldn't possibly name in this. Just know that all of you are loved.**_

_**I'll be sad to leave my favorite characters, as well as my favorite pairing, behind forever. I couldn't possibly retell their story and make it turn out any differently, or add on to it. But never fear; I will soon return to the fanfiction world, after a short break to switch worlds, with the story of Rainwhisker: **_**Cursed. **_**Thanks to all who voted for this on my poll! Of course, I'm kind of sad that the stories I wanted to do most, Blackstar's, Spiderleg's, and Ashfoot's, got the least votes, but, well…I'll give you what you want first, then I'll write the story **__**I**__** want to write. So be looking out for my new story!**_

_**There is one last thing I wanted to put into this page. I could not have written this story as well as I have without my play list for this story. It always got me in the right mood, always made my fingers fly faster across the keyboard. I'll post it here. I suggest it if you are writing a romance fiction, or just listen to it because they are all brilliant, moving songs. (You can also find it compiled at edwardandbella. net- scroll to the bottom left.)**_

**Holly Brook- What I wouldn't Give**

**Dashboard Confessional- Stolen**

**Lucky 7- Around the World Isn't Too Far**

**Sick Puppies- All the same**

**Howie Day- Collide**

**Flyleaf- All Around Me**

**Boys Like Girls- Hero Heroine**

**Switchfoot- Learning to Breathe**

**Smashing Pumpkins- Disarm**

**Keane- Somewhere Only We Know**

**Goo Goo Dolls- Iris**

**Matchbook Romance- Tiger Lily**

**Mae- The Sun and the Moon**

**Mae- Giving it Away (acoustic)**

**Blue October- 18****th**** Floor Balcony**

**Mae- Ready and Waiting to Fall**

**Joseph Arthur- Honey and the Moon**

**Jimmy Eat World- For me this is Heaven**

**Copeland- There cannot be a Close Second**

**Copeland- She Changes your Mind**

**Copeland- Beneath Medicine Tree- Brightest**

**Claude Debussy- Claire de Lune**

**Aqualung- Brighter then Sunshine**

**American Hi-Fi- The Rescue**

**Mae- The Everglow**

**Kelly Clarkson- Haunted**

**Deathcab for Cutie- I will follow you into the Dark**

**Jon McLaughlin- So Close**

**Yurima- River Flows in You**

_**So, once again, good-bye, I love you, and thank you for making this experience such a special one.**_


End file.
